ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday inaugurated Pakistan’s first-ever digital system for the licensing and registration of medical devices, declaring it a significant step towards transparency and efficiency in the health sector.
He called the reform difficult but not impossible and urged all stakeholders to play their part in changing the nation’s fate. Addressing the inauguration ceremony in Islamabad, the prime minister congratulated Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Health Secretary Waqar-ul-Hasan and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) CEO Dr Obaidullah and his team for introducing the new digital system.
He said the digitisation process in the Ministry of Health is commendable and was initiated during the previous coalition government. He emphasised that revolutionising the medical sector is challenging but achievable. Citing the example of a modern hospital and burn unit gifted by a friendly country that had remained closed for years, he said Mustafa Kamal took notice of the matter on his request and was now working to make the facility operational.
“Even now, it is not too late. If we decide to reform the healthcare sector today, it is difficult but certainly not impossible,” he said. Highlighting the benefits of the digital system, he said it will allow licensing and registration decisions to be completed within 20 days—compared to years previously—eliminating the culture of bribery and delays. He expressed hope that now all applications would be processed within the stipulated time frame purely on merit.
Recalling the establishment of the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, the prime minister said he had appointed General Azhar Kiani to head the facility, who turned it into one of the country’s top cardiology hospitals. “We need to replicate such models across Pakistan with joint efforts from the federal and provincial governments.”
Shehbaz Sharif also referred to an earlier initiative from 2015-16 where billions of rupees were allocated to provide free medicines to poor patients. When medicine samples were sent abroad for testing, 60 percent were found substandard. He said that painful revelation led to strict reforms and eventually resulted in quality-assured medicines being supplied to all public hospitals, ensuring equality for rich and poor alike.
He stressed that nothing can stop Pakistan’s progress if decisions are made with sincerity and determination. Speaking earlier, the health minister said the new system is designed to make healthcare delivery more efficient and corruption-free, in line with the PM’s vision.
The digital process, he explained, allows applicants to complete documentation from home and receive their license at home within 20 days. He said this initiative has ended the culture of recommendations and hurdles in medical device regulation.
The minister said the government is trying to resolve issues within available resources and thanked the ministries of IT and Information for their support in launching the digital platform. Calling the prime minister the most capable individual to have led both Punjab and the federal government, he said Shehbaz is unmatched in execution, follow-up and understanding of governance matters. “He works harder and knows more than most ministers and secretaries,” the minister added.
Mustafa Kamal announced that QR and barcodes will soon be introduced, enabling all 240 million Pakistanis to verify medicines’ authenticity, expiry date and real prices. This initiative is expected to be completed within three months.
He also announced plans to improve the nursing sector and medical and dental councils, alongside strengthening the primary healthcare system to reduce pressure on tertiary care hospitals.
The minister expressed concern over Pakistan’s population growth rate of 2.5 percent and fertility rate of 3.6, noting that the country adds over 6.1 million people annually—more than the population of New Zealand each year. He said a high-level committee has been constituted by the prime minister to address the issue.
Kamal also highlighted that nearly 68 percent of diseases in Pakistan are caused by contaminated drinking water, and most new housing societies lack proper sewage infrastructure. Federal ministers Attaullah Tarar, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Shaza Fatima Khawaja were also present.