Kamal highlights importance of public-private partnerships in health sector

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services and Regulations Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday highlighted the importance of the private sector and said that the federal government, in collaboration with provincial governments, is committed to promoting public-private partnership in the health sector.

In a media briefing, he announced the restoration of the Health Facilitation Programme in Islamabad after several years, enabling citizens to access quality healthcare services free of cost, adding that under the programme, 42 private hospitals operating in the federal capital will provide facilities to patients under the National Health Insurance Programme to ease the burden on state-run facilities.

Kamal highlighted a stark disparity in healthcare efficiency, noting that while federal and provincial governments collectively spend Rs1,156 billion on health, patient satisfaction remains below 10 percent.

In contrast, he said, a government-commissioned study on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) suggested that comprehensive facilities could be provided more effectively with a budget of Rs210 billion by leveraging the private sector. “Universal Health Coverage is the future,” Kamal said, adding that without private sector integration, the country would need to construct 5,000 new hospitals to meet demand.

He said the government will bear the full cost of treatment at these 42 private institutions. He said eligible patients can now receive free treatment under the scheme, which will be implemented within Islamabad’s territorial jurisdiction.

The Minister said all programme-related expenditures are being monitored through a real-time data system and that no irregularities or violations will be tolerated. He warned that any hospital found involved in malpractice, corruption, or violations of programme rules would be removed from the scheme. “Our priority is providing quality healthcare to the public,” Kamal said.

“The burden on state hospitals has increased significantly due to rapid population growth, and our economy can no longer sustain the current rate of population expansion.”

The minister noted that Islamabad’s population has surpassed 3.5 million, with public hospitals facing additional pressure from patients travelling from Rawalpindi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and other areas.

“This influx has led to chronic overcrowding and frequent public complaints regarding the quality of service,” he said. The minister cautioned participating institutions, stating that any hospital found involved in malpractice of providing substandard care would be immediately de-listed from the programme.

Kamal also expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for approving the restoration of the programme, which he described as a necessary step to align Pakistan with global healthcare standards.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026