With the rising burden of both infectious and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancers and genetic disorders, and the soaring costs of healthcare in Pakistan, quality medical care is becoming increasingly unaffordable for a majority of the population.
As out-of-pocket expenses for private health care grow beyond reach for most Pakistanis, the focus should be on disease prevention, local and foreign health experts said on Saturday.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the 27th Biennial Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Central Convention, experts emphasised that disease prevention included key measures such as vaccination programmes to protect against infectious diseases, health education campaigns to promote healthy lifestyles, and screening for early detection of conditions like cancer and diabetes.
They also stressed the importance of ensuring access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation to prevent waterborne illnesses like cholera and diarrhoea, as well as the need for infection control in healthcare settings to minimise the spread of infections.
The two-day convention, held at the Karachi Expo Centre, has drawn together healthcare professionals, scientists, vice chancellors, and medical students from Pakistan and abroad.
Prof Teepu Siddique, American-Pakistani neurologist, highlighted the growing burden of genetic and lifestyle diseases in Pakistan, calling it unbearable. He stressed that in the absence of affordable treatment options, prevention was the only viable solution.
“People in Pakistan are suffering from preventable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and diarrhoea, which can be avoided with simple lifestyle changes, clean drinking water and timely vaccinations. Many deaths can be prevented with proper immunisation, which is available free of charge for children,” he maintained.
He advised the public to adopt healthier lifestyles, recommending a diet rich in vegetables and fruits while minimising meat and oil consumption. “Eat twice a day and share the third meal with someone who can’t afford to eat,” Prof Siddique said as he emphasised the mental and physical benefits of such practices.
Prof Tariq Rafi, chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission, lamented the lack of empathy in Pakistan’s healthcare system even when the country's medical colleges were producing technically competent doctors. "Pakistani medical institutions are producing good doctors, but they are not becoming good human beings,” he said, citing the prevailing ‘pharma-physician nexus’ as a major problem.
He called for an expanded medical curriculum that included bioethics and literature to foster greater empathy among future healthcare professionals.
The newly appointed PIMA president, Prof Atif Hafeez, reiterated the need for prioritising prevention over treatment, noting that a majority of the population could not afford healthcare services. “Scores of ailments can be prevented with simple precautionary measures, lifestyle modifications and other interventions,” he said, echoing the overarching theme of the convention.
The inaugural session, which was moderated by Prof Dr Abdullah Muttaqi, chairman of the organising committee, also featured an address by Islamic scholar Khalil ur Rehman Chishti, who joined from the United States.
He urged the audience to pursue both religious and scientific knowledge, stressing that historically, Islamic scholars were also masters in various fields, including the Quran, Hadith, philosophy, and natural sciences. “A well-rounded education, rooted in both religious and scientific thought, is necessary for progress in today's world,” he asserted.
At another key session on the pharmaceutical industry’s relationship with physicians, Asim Rauf, chief executive officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), warned that strict actions would be taken against pharmaceutical companies involved in unethical marketing practices.
“We have asked these companies to provide details of their spending. If any evidence is found of unethical practices, we will take stringent action, which may include involving law enforcement agencies,” he cautioned.
Supporting this stance, Haroon Qasim, former chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA) and managing director of PharmEvo, praised the guidelines prepared by PIMA on the physician-pharma relationship as encouraging and a step toward transparency.
Former special assistant to the prime minister on health Dr Zafar Mirza delivered a sobering assessment of Pakistan’s healthcare system, noting that only 1 per cent of the country’s GDP was allocated to health care, which was far below the recommended 5 per cent. “Health care has never been a priority for any government,” he said, urging more resources to be devoted to primary healthcare.
“Most of the out-of-pocket spending by the public, around 70 to 80 per cent, is on primary health care, which should be part of the universal health coverage programme,” he opined.
As Pakistan grapples with a growing disease burden and inadequate healthcare funding, discussions at the PIMA convention underscored the pressing need for a shift toward preventive care and health system reforms, especially in the areas of primary health care and ethical medical practices.
The convention will continue today (Sunday). The last day will feature sessions on diabetes, orthopaedics, rheumatology, artificial intelligence in health care, neurology, psychiatry and ethical issues in health care.
There will also be a career guidance seminar, a session dedicated to Prof Mubin Akhtar and discussions on the impact of the war in Gaza on the people of occupied Palestine.