Health Minister Mustafa Kamal chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on ongoing health projects and to push for faster completion of priority initiatives. He directed officials to fast-track work on major schemes, including the completion of the new emergency block at the under-construction cancer hospital, and outlined a series of reforms aimed at improving transparency, digitization, and the fight against counterfeit medicines.
The meeting examined the status of projects currently underway at the Ministry of Health. Mustafa Kamal stressed the need for timely completion and ordered that key initiatives be placed on a fast-track schedule to ensure they are finished as planned. He specifically called for all necessary measures to be taken to complete the new emergency unit at the cancer hospital without delay.
Reform of regulatory bodies remains a central focus of the minister’s agenda. Mustafa Kamal said reforms in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and the Nursing Council have already been initiated. To promote merit and transparency within the medical council, he announced that the PMDC is being fully digitized and that a detailed road map and integrated strategy have been developed to guide these changes.
Digitization efforts have also extended to the Drug Regulatory Authority. The minister reported that medical devices have been digitized under DRAP’s systems and that licensing for medical devices is now being processed within a 20-day timeframe, improving efficiency and regulatory predictability for manufacturers and suppliers.
Tackling counterfeit medicines was another priority discussed at the meeting. Mustafa Kamal said work is accelerating on implementing 2D bar coding across the pharmaceutical supply chain to eliminate fake drugs. He noted that multiple meetings have been held with the pharmaceutical industry to coordinate these efforts, and emphasized that eradicating counterfeit medicines is essential not only for public health but also to protect the reputation of the industry.
Mustafa Kamal concluded by reaffirming that reforms in the health sector will continue and that the ministry remains committed to ensuring project delivery, regulatory modernization, and stronger safeguards against counterfeit products.
