ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday launched a digital licensing and registration system for medical devices, describing it as a significant milestone in healthcare reform and transparency, and calling for national unity to address deep-rooted systemic challenges.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Sharif said that while revolutionising the country’s healthcare sector is a daunting task, it is achievable through collective effort.
“It is difficult, but not impossible,” he said. “The day is not far when we will walk with our heads held high among the nations of the world.”
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The newly-launched digital platform – initiated under the previous coalition government – will enable medical device manufacturers to complete licensing documentation online and receive approvals within 20 days. This sharply reduces the years-long delays that, according to Sharif, had previously encouraged corruption and inefficiency.
Sharif congratulated the Ministry of Health, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), and their leadership on this achievement.
He commended the appointment of DRAP’s CEO on “merit” and praised Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal for his performance, linking his recent efforts to his past tenure as mayor of Karachi.
Sharif emphasised that reforms must be rooted in transparency and merit. He recalled his decision to appoint Prof Maj Gen (retired) Dr Azhar Mahmood Kayani as head of the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology – a move that, he said, transformed it into one of the country’s leading cardiac hospitals, serving patients from across country’s northern regions.
He also shared an example of recent federal intervention that revived a foreign-funded hospital and burn unit which had remained non-operational for years. “We must not give up. Reform is still possible if we act now,” he maintained.
Reflecting on past healthcare challenges, Sharif spoke of a 2015-16 initiative to test and improve the quality of medicines in public hospitals.
He revealed that initial tests showed over 60 per cent of medicines were substandard. “It was painful, but we took corrective action,” he said, adding that medicine quality in public hospitals has since improved considerably.
Concluding his address, the prime minister invoked faith and resilience: “God does not waste anyone’s hard work. He grants success,” he said.
“Now is the time for the nation to unite and rewrite its destiny.”
Earlier in the event, Kamal described the digital licensing system as a cornerstone of wider healthcare reforms designed to enhance public access and eliminate corruption.
“No agent or external help is needed anymore,” he noted. “The entire process can now be completed from home.”
He criticised the previous licensing framework for being plagued by favouritism and inefficiency, saying the new system reflects the prime minister’s vision of streamlined and transparent governance.
Highlighting broader public health concerns, Kamal said that 68 per cent of diseases in Pakistan stem from unsafe drinking water. He pointed out that many new housing societies still lack basic sewerage systems, compounding the nation’s health challenges.
In a key announcement, the minister said that a QR and barcode verification system will be rolled out within three months. This will allow all 240 million citizens to verify the price and expiry date of medicines, ensuring safer and more informed consumption.
He also drew attention to the country’s rapid population growth, currently at 2.5 per cent - equivalent to an annual increase of around 6.15 million people.
“That’s more than the entire population of New Zealand each year,” he said, adding that this growth rate must be brought down to two per cent for sustainable progress.
Further reforms are being planned for the nursing, medical, and dental councils, alongside efforts to strengthen primary healthcare in order to alleviate the burden on tertiary hospitals.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025