UK-Pakistan partnership was the oldest: Jane Marriott

ISLAMABAD, Sep 20 (SABAH): British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott called on Caretaker Federal Health Minister Dr. Nadeem Jan on Wednesday.

Both sides discussed in detail matters of mutual interest sector. It was agreed to enhance collaboration in the health sector and forge closer ties in addressing in myriad challenges in the area. Welcoming the High Commissioner, the Minister expressed gratitude for continued support of UK in diverse areas of the health sector in Pakistan.

In this regard, he made special mention of natural calamities like the earthquake, recent floods and initiatives like polio eradication. The two sides expressed unanimity of views on issues in the realm of health, climate change and population. In the limited time available to us we will make every endeavor to leave a strong health system as a legacy for those to follow, said Dr. Nadeem Jan. This is an opportune time for system strengthening. Health should be apolitical and for humanity the Minister said. We have established an inter-ministerial forum for effective inter-provincial coordination in the areas of health and population. There is immense potential in the pharma sector in Pakistan.

We are encouraging to build a pharma park to increase the capacity of the pharma industry in Pakistan, said Dr. Nadeem Jan. We must focus on indigenous manufacturing of medicines in the country. This will not only have a positive impact on the country’s economy, but it will also make it possible for people to access medicines at affordable prices, he said. Although Pakistan is manufacturing vaccines there is a need for transfer of technology to enhance capacity and to this end we are looking forward to collaboration with friendly countries, the Minister added. The Minister laid special emphasis on vaccine equity for low and middle income countries. We would like a partnership to ensure free flow of funds to low and middle income countries in the event of a calamity. We would like a global charter to ensure vaccine allocation to countries in need, he said. The Minister shared that Pakistan is all set to host the first ever Global Health Security Summit later this year in Islamabad reflecting the strongest commitment of the country at the highest level to Global Health Security Agenda.

British High Commissioner said UK-Pakistan partnership was the oldest. UKAID umbrella has been central to Pak-UK collaboration in health and education. UK-Pak health partnership that we signed this year is instrumental in forging closer collaboration, she added. British High Commissioner to Pakistan extended an invitation to the Minister to attend the International Food Security Summit focusing on nutrition being held in U.K. on 20th November 2023 which the Minister accepted.

Later the British High Commissioner was given a briefing on Pakistan’s first Unified Heath Management System for infectious diseases namely Infectious Diseases Management Information System (IDMIS) established at the Ministry of National Health Services.