300 children die daily due to poor healthcare: Mustafa Kamal

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has said that nearly 300 children die every day in Pakistan because of

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has said that nearly 300 children die every day in Pakistan because of inadequate healthcare facilities, stressing the need for urgent reforms and greater investment in the country’s health sector.

Speaking at a ceremony held at a private hospital in Karachi, the health minister said Pakistan is moving in the right direction but acknowledged that significant challenges remain in improving healthcare services across the country.

Mustafa Kamal said the nursing curriculum must be updated to meet modern healthcare standards and international requirements. He added that strengthening the skills of healthcare professionals is essential to improving the quality of medical services.

Highlighting demographic challenges, the minister said Pakistan’s population is growing at an annual rate of 2.55 percent, placing increasing pressure on education, healthcare and other public services. He noted that the rapidly expanding population has left millions of children without access to education.

The minister said the government’s primary focus is to prevent diseases through vaccination and public awareness rather than relying solely on treatment. He added that Pakistan spends millions of dollars every year on vaccination programmes and warned that the cost could rise to $1.2 billion by 2030 if current trends continue.

Mustafa Kamal said a lack of public awareness remains one of the biggest obstacles to successful immunisation campaigns. He noted that vaccination teams often face resistance, with some families refusing to cooperate by not allowing health workers into their homes.

He said the government is working to improve awareness about the importance of vaccines and strengthen preventive healthcare programmes to reduce the burden of infectious diseases.

The health minister also announced that the government is expected to sign agreements within the next few weeks to begin local vaccine production. He expressed hope that Pakistan would start manufacturing vaccines domestically before 2030, reducing dependence on imports and strengthening the country’s public health system.