ISLAMABAD: Minister of National Health Services (NHS) Syed Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday said the doctors from Pakistan were making the country proud not only in the Middle East, the United States and Europe but across the globe.

He said this during a meeting with the President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) Dr Rizwan Taj.

The meeting was aimed at reviewing and improving the quality of medical education in Pakistan.

According to a statement, Dr Taj briefed the minister on the existing medical education framework and ongoing initiatives to enhance its standards.

Both agreed on the need to improve the quality of medical education to further align it with international benchmarks.

Mustafa Kamal said that Pakistani doctors were highly regarded globally and the council must ensure that the tradition of excellence continued in the future.

He emphasised the importance of upgrading the education provided in Pakistani medical colleges to meet international standards. “We need to ensure that the education imparted in our medical institutions aligns with global benchmarks,” he added.

The minister further directed that PMDC take effective measures to enhance the medical education system.

Meanwhile, Dr Luo Dapeng, the representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Pakistan, met with Mustafa Kamal to discuss ongoing collaboration and key health priorities.

During the discussion, the WHO representative briefed the federal minister on various health initiatives being implemented in partnership with the organisation.

Mr Kamal acknowledged WHO’s longstanding support in strengthening Pakistan’s healthcare system and appreciated its continued assistance during challenging times.

“The WHO has played a vital role in Pakistan’s health sector for decades, and we deeply value its contributions,” said Mustafa Kamal.

“WHO has stood by Pakistan in every difficult moment, and we remain committed to enhancing this collaboration for the well-being of our people.”

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2025