Mustafa Kamal Urges Shift to Preventive Healthcare in Pakistan

Federal Minister for National Health Services and Regulations, Mustafa Kamal, has called for a fundamental transformation of Pakistan’s healthcare system—from one focused on treatment to a model rooted in prevention, awareness, and lifestyle improvement.

Speaking at the Pharma-covigilance Workshop in Islamabad, Kamal warned that Pakistan’s health infrastructure is deteriorating due to its reactive approach to illness. “Healthcare begins outside hospitals,” he said, stressing that the global paradigm now prioritizes keeping people healthy rather than merely treating diseases.

Kamal advocated for lifestyle medicine, which promotes healthier living through diet, exercise, and behavioral changes, reducing reliance on pharmaceuticals. He pointed out that hospitals are overwhelmed because Pakistan lacks a robust primary healthcare framework.

A major concern raised was sanitation. Kamal lamented the absence of proper sewage treatment systems, noting that contaminated water is responsible for nearly 70% of illnesses nationwide. “If clean water is ensured, the burden of patients on hospitals would drop by 70 percent,” he emphasized, citing the unchecked flow of polluted water from Gilgit-Baltistan to Karachi.

He urged local governments to establish sewage treatment facilities to combat waterborne diseases and reiterated the timeless principle: “Prevention is better than cure.”

Kamal also criticized the country’s lag in embracing modern medical advancements. “While the world may overcome cancer in the next decade, we may still be debating whether vaccines are halal or haram,” he remarked, highlighting the need for scientific literacy and public health education.

Pakistan’s high prevalence of hepatitis, diabetes, and heart disease further underscores the urgency of reform. Kamal stressed the need for ethical and committed medical professionals to lead the change, saying, “To truly reform our healthcare system, we need doctors and professionals who are driven by integrity, compassion, and a sense of responsibility.”

To support this vision, the Ministry of Health is establishing a modern Healthcare Management System at the National Institute of Health (NIH), aimed at improving service delivery and monitoring.