Pakistan over the years has been unsuccessful in attempts to curb diseases like Polio, despite stringent measures. Does this signify lapse in drafting or implementation of programs? Or the policies are averse of the proper facilitation of state-initiated measures? What are the factors aside from awareness that cause a major disregard for Health and fitness? What role can the government and pharmas ensure in providing a platform for the masses where they can inculcate the idea of good health and a healthy lifestyle?
Events that propagate ways to improve clinical, medical knowledge and practical skills should be sponsored by government in order to set a trend for instigation of national and private health programs. Family health care initiatives acquire the necessary attention to create awareness about the health issues, which buffer as promotional campaigns for health education about the common disease in Pakistan and to improve the health vision and vigilance of the Pakistani people. This requires setting up health and clinical workshops with immediate assistance available. Methods should be adopted to establish a process that provides the best possible circumstance for gaining benefit from health program initiatives.
On 20th February I attended a Family Health Care Initiative program, INFAH, that aimed at inclusion of patients and their families into fold of guidelines of an integrated family health care facility. Dr Ijaz Nasir, the Patron in Chief of INFAH program and Head of Chest Department at Gulab Devi Hospital, has experience as a chest specialist for the last 36 years. He is also Honorary Chest Physician to the Governor of Punjab. While addressing a group of physicians and chairman's of health forums, Dr. Ijaz stressed the underlying issues that impede development of appropriate health facilities and programs. He spelled 'integration' as a method for conveniently introducing a package that works across the board with effective and efficient working.
Consistent with the vision, it is inherently important to provide the same services at lower rates through provision of free and discounted medical services on grounds of secure health insurance plan for family. Differentiated plans are provided, depending on the preference of customers. A combination of services like online free consultation, arrangement of overseas appointments from different consultants, tele-clinic facility and seven years saving plan tune up a reinforced health plan for all. Body members agreed to initially roll the plan to estimated target of 5,000 -10,000 people. This would provide necessary force for projecting demands and proving an effective line-up against odds.
In a nation where the likes of Edhi have provided humanitarian service in areas that are malnourished or disease-stricken with no support base, in reality, represents a component of the social fabric of the Pakistani society we live in. Government sponsorship programs can go a long way to ensure that better private and public health facilities are available. Endeavouring to bring together doctors of different backgrounds in order to share concerns, adds value to the composition of a creative effort in order to reproduce an innovative concept in pursuit of liaison-based activities.
The dignitaries discussed the possibilities to improve the existing structure of health regulations. The purpose was to highlight areas where the line of cooperation between the working authorities is thin. A major claim of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Medical Association (PPMA) is the establishment and provision of an environment-setting that provides beneficial substance of professional element as an ideal base to consistently work upon. Discriminatory policies that allow multinationals to sell at favourable prices, while local producers are cut short of advantage, hampers the entire idea of instilling a network that relinquishes or revamps the prospective manners of monitoring welfare communities. A system that offers encouraging approach, can lead to positive outcome of debt settlement for Government of Pakistan. The Question and Answer session at INFAH focused on the intent-credibility base as a path to enhance capability for self-improvement, which in turn operates as a suitable integrated base for health purpose. INFAH Inclusive choice of availing the cover and saving plan will double at maturity. The body members discussed parameters of policy control of government where documentation requires a proper representation of collective will of medical associations and the state. Prospects to level the plan with the general public will involve celebrities who will be considered as monitoring figures. Syed Noor also attended the event. Provision of medical facilities at economical scale and immediate basis was the main purpose of creating INFAH, whose office is located at Model Town Link Road, Lahore.
Currently, the impending past issues have continued to stagnate the performance of local health pharmas. With drug registration problem still existing, no particular contours have been defined on basis of stakeholder feedback in order to carve a way forward, while the federal and provincial governments shirk from the responsibility as 'representatives,' which duly requires them to ensure policies consistent with public interest.
Since 2000, the drug prices have not increased. Incompatible policies led to decline in exports. Pakistani media neglected the issue from where the health industry could have developed a strong base for demands to be upheld. CPEC program promises development and prosperity with an entire paradigm of security issues. However, government should create checks and balances that lead to action upon the concerns of the people. Sialkot-based manufacturers need protection and support of the government of Pakistan. CPEC would move Chinese manufactured goods and service, hampering Pakistani export.
Leadership should devise strategies that enable an effective contribution, resulting in positive outcome of turning back from constant decline to a potential major export base industry. Pharma exports had decreased over a large extent over the years and the government has announced to form Pharma Export council. Non-conducive policies have obliterated chances of achieving PPMA's 'Vision 2020' that targeted a goal of achieving an increase in medicine exports from mere 200 million dollars to 5 billion, annually.
In a press conference, Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Association Chairman Hamid Raza said that ill-advised policies of Government and undue interference by National Health Services ministry had caused serious impediments to growth of the pharma industry. Former PPMA Chairman Ch Kaiser Waheed said government should provide all capable support from the available resources and monetary aspects in order to facilitate exports of medicine. According to PPMA officials, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan should be declared an autonomous body that would work on lines of being State Regulatory body for the Health Pharma Industry and the related market issues.
A judicial injunction exists where after the 18th Amendment the subject of health was devolved from Federal to Provincial patronage. The main problem the Health Pharma Industry faces is the shortage of manpower persisting in DRAP since the time the authority has come into existence in 2012 and that billions of rupees are lying unused in Central Research Funds for which the pharma companies had contributed one percent profit to the fund program CRF since 1976 for the purpose of research concerned with development of medicines. Proper channels should be established that ensure consistent working platform for export related requirements. Section -12 of DRAP 1976, where government fixes the price, should be deleted because it is averse from law of demand and supply upon which Health pharmas sustain a running base for dealing WHO's list of essential medicines.
PPMA body members have reiterated that 30 essential life saving drugs – have been in short supply in the market and that generic systems placed of the like in India/Bangladesh would widen the base to reach arenas of regional and international trade, pursuing the national goal of boosting a economic growth – where government has control only over the price of essential medicines; whereby, Section -12 of Drugs Act serves an irrational purpose which halts the performance of Health Pharmas.
PPMA body seeks to develop a strong legal status through enforcement of registration of new medicines that are invented and developed by the local industry. DRAP has yet to approve around 10,000 cases of registration certificates which have been deferred for the last six years. PPMA leaders have urged the government to withdraw the undue taxes and duties that are levied on equipment and machinery being imported for the purpose of expansion of pharma industry of the country. PPMA proposed the making of a task force for 'Vision 2020' in order to achieve growth in medicine export base, which would include the representatives of Trade Development Authority, DRAP, and PPMA.
LHC should include general proposals for drafting a new guideline for pharmaceuticals with the consultation of interested parties. Government should devise appropriate methods to enable fast-track solutions to the issues that arise. Media houses with no proper awareness regarding health care services or pharmas should be curbed in their ill-advised attempts, which altogether disregard the on-ground factual situations. Pakistan as a country needs to improve the health and fitness scale of the people.
