Karachi: The healthcare sector in Pakistan requires immediate government intervention as resource-limited patients struggle with expensive private care and inadequate government hospital facilities, stated Altaf Shakoor, Chairman of the Pasban Democratic Party (PDP), on Sunday.

According to Pasban Democratic Party, diseases continue to rise due to factors like malnutrition, pollution, and poor sanitary conditions. Shakoor highlighted the challenges faced by patients requiring hospitalization, noting the prohibitive costs of private healthcare. He urged the government to prioritize improvements in public sector medical facilities.

Shakoor called for the upgrading of district-level government hospitals to teaching hospitals, advocating for at least one teaching hospital in each district. He also encouraged the private sector to establish teaching hospitals and medical colleges, addressing the costly and often substandard medical education sought by Pakistani students abroad.

The PDP chairman pointed to poor sanitary conditions as a primary driver of disease spread, criticizing the lack of enforcement of municipal laws against public littering. He recommended fines and arrests to deter such activities and identified pollution from public smoking and outdated vehicles as additional health threats.

In Karachi, Shakoor expressed concern over air pollution from ongoing road construction projects, urging adherence to safe engineering practices. He called on the government and the Pakistan Engineering Council to take corrective actions against negligent contractors.

Shakoor emphasized the need for diligent municipal services to manage garbage collection and maintain functional drainage systems. He stressed the importance of enhancing emergency treatment facilities in government hospitals, maintaining medical equipment, and ensuring proper training for healthcare professionals.

Highlighting discrepancies between regions, Shakoor noted that the Punjab government is making strides in healthcare improvements, while Sindh lags behind. He urged Sindh’s leadership, including Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechoho, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, to address these challenges and elevate healthcare standards in the province.