Mustafa Kamal inaugurated a new telemedicine facility at the Basic Health Unit Bhukkar in Islamabad, the fifth such centre in the federal capital, underscoring the government’s push to deliver on healthcare commitments and strengthen primary care across the city and surrounding rural areas.
The minister said practical steps are being taken to reinforce primary healthcare as patient loads on hospitals grow with the rising population. He described the telemedicine center model as a viable and sustainable way to ease pressure on hospitals by leveraging modern health technologies for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Telemedicine, he added, makes quality medical consultation available beyond urban hospitals and into remote communities, ensuring citizens receive comparable standards of care without the need for a doctor’s physical presence for many basic services.
Officials announced that BHU Bhukkar will be upgraded in phases from a primary facility to a secondary healthcare centre to improve access and broaden services for local residents. The ministry also revealed that 5,000 doctors have been assigned nationwide to support digitalised healthcare centres, offering online consultations from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
The programme was highlighted as an opportunity to reintegrate female doctors who have stepped away from clinical practice, allowing them to serve patients from home while strengthening overall service coverage. Trained medical staff and nursing teams will be present at telemedicine centres to manage patient flow and facilitate consultations.
The federal ministry intends these centres to go beyond curative care, using them as platforms for health awareness, disease prevention and community engagement. The minister emphasised a proactive approach to public health, noting the government’s commitment to preventive measures, including doorstep vaccination services against thirteen diseases and urging parents to ensure full immunization of their children.
Dr Sara Saeed Khurram, Co-founder and CEO of Sehat Kahani, said the project’s impact will grow as more patients use online consultations. She confirmed that BHU Bhukkar operates on Sehat Kahani’s digital health infrastructure, featuring secure video consultations, electronic medical records, digital prescriptions, an integrated pharmacy system and a patient analytics dashboard, with nursing staff central to effective service delivery.
