ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services Regulations, Mustafa Kamal, on Wednesday stressed the need for transforming the country’s healthcare system from sick-care into a true health-care system, saying that 68 percent of diseases in Pakistan are linked to contaminated water.
Kamal, while addressing the ceremony of a pilot project on adolescent nutrition and maternal health, said, “If we ensure access to safe drinking water, we can eliminate 68 percent of diseases,” he said. He added that the country still lacks an effective sewage treatment system. “Sewage treatment must be made a core part of our national health policies,” he emphasized.
Shedding light on other pressing challenges, the Minister stated that Pakistan’s population growth rate stands at 3.6 percent annually, one of the highest in the region, putting immense pressure on resources and the health sector. He said that 43 percent of children are suffering from stunting, a direct result of poor nutrition and environmental factors.
Pakistan ranks first in the region for Hepatitis C cases and is still battling polio. Hospitals continue to face an increasing daily patient burden. “The current system waits for people to get sick before taking action. This is not healthcare, it is sick-care,” Kamal said. “A true health-care system focuses on preventing illness. Prevention is always better than cure.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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