Karachi gets first Digital Health Centre

Minister launches telemedicine initiative in the city

KARACHI:

Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal on Friday inaugurated the city's first Digital Health Centre at the Federal Government Dispensary, Civil Aviation, marking an important step towards expanding telemedicine-based healthcare in the metropolis.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the minister said the centre would provide medical treatment through modern telemedicine facilities, enabling doctors based abroad to examine patients via live video consultations. He said patients visiting the centre would also be provided free medicines.

The facility, he added, would be particularly beneficial for patients suffering from complex diseases such as breast, liver and lung cancer.

Kamal said the initiative aimed to reduce the burden on major hospitals and ensure the availability of quality healthcare services at the community level. "Pakistan has become a factory for producing patients, where even those with minor ailments rush to big hospitals, putting unnecessary pressure on the healthcare system," he added.

He said the government was focusing on strengthening primary healthcare centres so that people could access quality treatment closer to their homes. Emphasising preventive healthcare, the minister urged the public to ensure vaccination, saying prevention was better than cure.