Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a strong and united effort to bring a real change in Pakistan’s healthcare system. On Monday, he spoke at a ceremony where he launched a new digital system for licensing and registering medical devices. He said this system would help process applications within just 20 days. The prime minister hopes this new method will be quick, fair, and transparent.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed regret over the delays in the past when people had to wait for months and even years for approval. He joked that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) used to act more like “Drag” because of how slow things were. they added that everyone knew why the process was so slow.
He also recalled a serious case from his time as Punjab’s chief minister. When some patients died at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, he sent the medicine samples abroad for testing. The reports from London showed that the drugs, which were supposed to treat heart problems, were actually malaria medicines. He blamed the failure on DRAP’s poor handling of the case.
The prime minister said he had brought Major General (retd) Azhar Mahmood Kayani to lead the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology. Because of his dedication, the hospital became one of the best in the region. Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan needs more hospitals like that to serve the people.
He also mentioned that his government in Punjab spent a large budget in 2014–2015 to provide free medicines in public hospitals. However, he found that 60% of those medicines were of poor quality. After that, he made sure that only top-quality medicines were given to patients. His government also built new labs to help poor people get free medical testing across the province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz praised Health Minister Mustafa Kamal for making major changes in the health sector. He said the minister had taken steps to reopen hospitals that had been shut down earlier. The prime minister admitted that fixing the healthcare system is a tough job, but he believes it is possible with strong will and teamwork.
He said that even if the challenges seem like big mountains, they can be overcome with hard work and unity. He reminded the audience that hard work always brings results. Shehbaz Sharif also showed hope that Pakistan would one day rise and earn respect among other nations, thanks to such positive efforts.
The prime minister thanked the health minister, the health secretary, the DRAP CEO, and their teams for launching the new digital system. Many officials, lawmakers, and health experts also attended the event.
During the ceremony, Minister Mustafa Kamal explained how the digital system would speed up the registration of medical devices. The whole process, which used to take years, will now take only 20 days. He said this system removes human contact. People can apply from their homes and get their registration or license online.
He said the system would cover everything from small items like wheelchairs to large machines like MRIs. People will get better access to safe and effective medical tools and medicines. The health minister added that the government is using public-private partnerships to improve primary health centers, which will also reduce pressure on big hospitals.
Minister Kamal also talked about other health problems, such as the fast-growing population and waterborne diseases. He said the government is doing its best, even with limited resources, to fix these issues. All these steps show the commitment and vision of the current government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership.
