Mustafa Kamal calls for greater investment in healthcare sector

Karachi witnessed the opening ceremony of the 23rd Health Asia International Exhibition and Conferences, as Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal emphasized the urgent need for increased investment in Pakistan's healthcare sector. Addressing over 20,000 attendees on the event's first day, Kamal highlighted that the nation's population of 260 million people was growing faster than its healthcare capacity, warning that even a small percentage of illnesses could overwhelm hospitals.

He pointed out that six million children are born annually in Pakistan, with the country projected to become the world's fourth most populous by 2030, posing a significant challenge to the healthcare system. Kamal reported that federal health authorities had raised bed capacity in Islamabad from 2,100 to 2,595 in the past 14 months, but building 15 new hospitals could take 15 years.

Instead, he suggested that expanding beds and services at existing facilities could provide quicker relief. The minister also revealed that Chinese companies had committed to investing $663 million in Pakistan's health sector. Health Asia organizers anticipated the three-day event to generate more than $100 million in business. Kamal signed two memorandums of understanding during the inauguration, one focusing on improving healthcare facilities' certification standards and the other aimed at expanding access to medical consultations via telemedicine.

He encouraged foreign manufacturers to partner with Pakistani companies to help develop domestic manufacturing capabilities, as increasing local production could reduce dependence on imported healthcare equipment. The exhibition, organized by E-commerce Gateway Pakistan in collaboration with the federal health ministry, features more than 600 stalls from 29 countries across five halls and will continue until Saturday.

Dr Zakiuddin Ahmed, conference organizer, noted that the discussions on digital health, patient safety, clinical standards, and workforce training aimed to result in safer treatment, improved practices, and better healthcare access for patients.