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Business Recorder
20-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Minister pledges to achieve polio-free future of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that polio eradication is the top priority of the government and federal health ministry along with provincial health departments are fully committed to achieving a polio-free future for children of the country. He made these remarks while virtually attending the joint session of the Gavi Board and the Polio Oversight Board (POB), where he represented the government of Pakistan and shared key updates on national progress in the fight against polio. He highlighted that the prime minister of Pakistan is personally overseeing the polio eradication efforts and chairs monthly stocktake meetings to review progress. Sharing the latest progress, the minister stated, 'Pakistan has witnessed over a 99 percent decline in polio cases a testament to our coordinated strategy, dedication of frontline workers, and the collective efforts of all stakeholders.' He emphasised the implementation of a joint strategy to reach zero-dose children, with mobile biker teams mobilized to access nomadic and hard-to-reach populations. Underscoring the importance of global partnerships, the minister added, 'Strengthening the integrated immunization system requires continued support from both Gavi and the Polio Oversight Board. We need additional investments to ensure the training and retention of vaccinators.' He noted that enhanced synergy between the polio and EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) initiatives is improving immunisation coverage, while coordinated microplanning and effective monitoring are delivering tangible results in the field. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
20-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Minister pledges to achieve polio-free future of country
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that polio eradication is the top priority of the government and federal health ministry along with provincial health departments are fully committed to achieving a polio-free future for children of the country. He made these remarks while virtually attending the joint session of the Gavi Board and the Polio Oversight Board (POB), where he represented the government of Pakistan and shared key updates on national progress in the fight against polio. He highlighted that the prime minister of Pakistan is personally overseeing the polio eradication efforts and chairs monthly stocktake meetings to review progress. Sharing the latest progress, the minister stated, 'Pakistan has witnessed over a 99 percent decline in polio cases a testament to our coordinated strategy, dedication of frontline workers, and the collective efforts of all stakeholders.' He emphasised the implementation of a joint strategy to reach zero-dose children, with mobile biker teams mobilized to access nomadic and hard-to-reach populations. Underscoring the importance of global partnerships, the minister added, 'Strengthening the integrated immunization system requires continued support from both Gavi and the Polio Oversight Board. We need additional investments to ensure the training and retention of vaccinators.' He noted that enhanced synergy between the polio and EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) initiatives is improving immunisation coverage, while coordinated microplanning and effective monitoring are delivering tangible results in the field. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
12-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
PIMA voices concern over 16pc cut in health budget
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has expressed deep concern over the 16 percent cut in the federal health development budget for 2025–26 compared to last year, noting that it represents one of the lowest health budget allocations in the region. Pakistan spends less than 0.9 percent of its GDP on health far below regional and global standards. The budget for the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHSR&C) has been reduced for the fiscal year 2025-26, despite increasing health challenges in the country. The combined non-development and development budget for the ministry has been cut from Rs 54.87 billion in the outgoing fiscal year 2024-25 to Rs 46.10 billion in next fiscal year, a reduction of Rs 8.77 billion. Central President of PIMA Prof Atif Hafeez Siddiqui emphasised that this significant reduction comes at a time of growing health challenges and will directly impact hospitals and BHUs construction and equipment upgrades, medical education, disease surveillance systems and the training of medical professionals. While operational spending on salaries and administration has increased, long-term development of healthcare infrastructure and services is being overlooked. He highlighted that Pakistan continues to face a dual burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, alongside ongoing threats from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS. In this context, reducing development allocations compromises the country's capacity to respond effectively and weakens overall health system resilience. The PIMA president urged the government to take urgent corrective steps in light of current health challenges. He called for the restoration and enhancement of the development health budget to support healthcare infrastructure and ensure long-term health improvements. He further emphasised the need to prioritise disease control programmes, both communicable and non-communicable, and to reinforce medical education and health workforce training for a sustainable and resilient healthcare system. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
11-02-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
I-14 to get modern health facility
ISLAMABAD: In a major step to improve healthcare access for families, Nelson Azeem, the Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, announced on Monday the establishment of a state-of-the-art Mother and Child Health Hospital in Sector I-14 of Islamabad. The project, titled "Establishment of Mother, Neonates, and Child Health Centre (MNCHC) in ICT Islamabad," is being developed under the Ministry of NHSR&C. It aims to provide essential primary and secondary healthcare services to the local community. During the National Assembly's Question Hour session, Azeem emphasized that the new facility will significantly ease the burden on Islamabad's tertiary care hospitals by offering critical healthcare services closer to home for I-14 residents and nearby areas. The hospital will also serve as a referral centre for local primary healthcare centers, offering specialized maternal and child health services alongside general healthcare. Azeem provided updates on the hospital's progress, noting that equipment procured in the last financial year has already been installed.
