Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal announced that under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir can receive free treatment at private hospitals.
He made the remarks during the inauguration of the second digitized health center in Jacob Lines, Karachi. The minister described the event as a moment of gratitude and emphasized the importance of serving humanity.
Citing a Hadith, Mustafa Kamal highlighted the virtue of helping those in distress, recalling a story from the time of Bani Israel where a woman quenched a thirsty dog and was greatly rewarded by Allah. He said relief for those in need brings spiritual reward and that the Ministry of Health works to reduce human suffering.
He noted that Pakistan’s healthcare system is close to collapse, warning that pandemics like COVID-19 demonstrated how even developed countries such as the U.S., U.K., and China are vulnerable when healthcare demand surges. He added that even without a pandemic, millions of Pakistanis fall ill annually.
The minister shared alarming statistics, stating that out of 6.1 million children born in Pakistan each year, around 400,000 do not receive a single dose of essential vaccines, and millions receive only one dose.
Mustafa Kamal emphasized that healthcare extends beyond treating patients, including preventive measures, and called for collective responsibility—from union councilors to federal authorities—to protect public health.
