WEF Delegates Recognize Pakistan's Health Sector Innovations

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 24, 2017 | 06:40 PM

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jan, 2017 ) : The top delegates of World Economic Forum (WEF) had recognized and acclaimed the innovations introduced by Pakistan in the health sector.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, innovations in universal health coverage, child immunization and access to drugs for the poor were highlighted specifically and recognized at the prestigious forum.

It said in his remarks on the occasion Chief Executive Officer of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization Dr Seth Berkeley paid tributes to Pakistan Health Minister Saira Afzal Tarar for establishing for the first time state-of-the-art world class online Vaccine Management System which won ISO certification.

Dr. Berkeley said "There was no parallel to this in the developing world". The session on innovations made special mention of efforts by Pakistan to provide access to the poor to drug for treatment of Hepatitis-C.

This included provision of miracle drug Sovaldi at around Reweighs 32,000 and its generic at around Rs 5,000.

The forum energized the new national health vision of Pakistan as means to provide equitable health services with focus on Primary and preventive health care.

Pakistan's Health Minister Saira Afzal Tarar was invited to the WEF specifically to speak on health sector innovations introduced by the country including providing free of cost access to health care to those living below the poverty line under the one of the developing world's largest health insurance program launched in December 2015.

The program was presented as a model for the developing world by Saira Afzal Tarar speaking at a special session on innovations participated by top leaders from across the world. The cashless free of cost health cover for treatment of major diseases for the 6th largest nation of the world, was seen by the delegates as the ultimate means to ensure equity in health care services in the developing countries.