Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has said that the growing population is a major challenge for the healthcare system, adding that the rapid increase in population is putting additional pressure on the system.
Addressing a health and nutrition conference, he said that people need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, while the basic health system is being strengthened and preventing diseases is a priority.
Mustafa Kamal said that it is also necessary to control the rapidly increasing population, noting that Pakistan’s current healthcare system is limited to treating illnesses.
He stated that instead of waiting for diseases, there is a need to move towards preventive healthcare. The Health Minister said that merely building hospitals and hiring doctors is not enough, and the entire ecosystem needs to be changed.
He added that COVID-19 proved that even the healthcare systems of major countries can come under pressure, and no superpower in the world can bear the burden if all people fall ill at the same time.
The Federal Health Minister said that the Ministry of Health, with the help of international experts, has prepared a new health strategy, aimed at reducing the burden of patients on hospitals and keeping the public healthy.
He further said that the current healthcare system is more of a sick care system, and there is a need to improve it, highlighting shortages of hospitals, doctors, medical staff, clean water and medicines.
