Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has announced a decisive shift in Pakistan’s health strategy focusing not on just treatment of illness but on preventing disease before it takes hold He reiterated that preventing disease must take precedence over curing it under the government’s health priorities

Speaking at a seminar on burn trauma to recovery at PIMS Hospital the minister pointed out that many deaths in Pakistan result from conditions that are preventable He made the case that early interventions, public hygiene and systemic preventive measures can dramatically reduce mortality and healthcare costs

The minister revealed that a large proportion of the disease burden in Pakistan arises from waterborne sources He noted that many children suffer illness soon after birth due to poor sanitation lack of clean water and unsafe food He called for comprehensive programs to tackle water safety, waste management and environmental cleanliness as urgent priorities

Burn related injuries were also highlighted as an area requiring immediate attention Mustafa Kamal stressed that burn patients face high mortality rates because of delayed treatment lack of specialized burn care facilities and insufficient training of staff He insisted that improving burn care standards, ensuring timely access to treatment and rehabilitative services must be part of disease prevention efforts

To move from reactive to proactive healthcare the minister proposed strengthening primary care centres to detect illness earlier, launching public health awareness campaigns, expanding vaccination programs, and integrating preventive health education in schools and communities He also called for interdepartmental cooperation to address social determinants of health such as water, sanitation and nutrition

Health infrastructure upgrades are central to these prevention goals The government plans to invest in improving hygiene conditions in public hospitals, enhancing access to diagnostic services in remote areas, and ensuring that healthcare facilities are equipped to handle early cases before they escalate into emergencies

Another pillar of the agenda is public participation Mustafa Kamal emphasized that government action alone is insufficient unless citizens embrace preventive behaviors such as hand washing clean drinking water vaccination and avoiding practices that spread disease He encouraged community health workers local leadership and media to help amplify preventive messages

Under this vision prevention is seen as both a moral imperative and an economic necessity By reducing preventable illness, hospital overcrowding and health spending can decline significantly allowing more resources to be used for chronic conditions, research and sustainable health system strengthening

The statement by Mustafa Kamal marks a turning point in Pakistan’s health policy With disease prevention now officially declared a top priority the country may be heading toward a future where fewer lives are lost to avoidable causes and public health outcomes improve broadly