US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome on Thursday said that exemplary cooperation in the health sector between the two countries would be further strengthened.

The US ambassador said this during a meeting with caretaker Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan.

Ambassador Blome, who was accompanied by USAID Mission Director Kate Somvongsiri, affirmed his country’s commitment to support Pakistan’s health sector in diverse areas, including nutrition, maternal and newborn health, control of infectious diseases and family planning.

He termed the cooperation between the Ministry of National Health Services and the US government exemplary.

Dr Nadeem Jan expressed gratitude for the US government’s support in the health sector. “This support has been robust, uninterrupted and purpose driven,” he said, mentioning the continued support of US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Centers for Disease Control.

The meeting discussed cooperation in various contexts of initial two rounds of Pak-US Health Dialogue and resolved to continue further collaboration.

The minister shared the purpose and intent of Pakistan hosting the first Global Health Security Summit. The agenda, he said, was for the world to be prepared before a pandemic struck. Representatives of countries from all continents of the world were being invited to the summit, he added.

Dr Nadeem Jan said that the importance of health diplomacy in this day and age could not be overemphasised.

“I believe that diseases have no borders nor do viruses discriminate between races and nationalities hence the need to forge a unified stand against them.”

The minister said, “We look forward to strengthen the government-to-government cooperation with the United States and firmly believe in productive partnership for the benefit of our people.”

He said that health was the best interface between public and state hence contributing immensely to strengthening the bond between the society and the state.

The minister shared that universal health coverage was close to his heart and he had taken the initiative to revamp primary healthcare system which would reduce the burden on secondary and tertiary care facilities.

“We are currently revamping 430 basic health units with the support of the WHO (World Health Organisation) in the first phase.”

Dr Nadeem Jan said that an initiative was underway to digitalise the whole health system.

Both sides discussed at length the cooperation in fighting malnutrition in Pakistan.

Dr Nadeem Jan said, “We will like to pool resources and conduct mapping exercise to determine the area and community most in need and allocate resources accordingly.”

The US ambassador showed keen interest in the area and affirmed commitment to the cause emphasising a targeted approach to malnutrition.

It was agreed that the technical group would further discuss collaboration in that regard between the two sides.

“Pakistan continues to fight the last remnants of polio with strengthened resolve. We are targeting wild poliovirus through a localised, laser focus and integrated approach,” the minister said.

Dr Nadeem Jan spelled out his vision for utilising the asset of 250,000 polio workers for more integrated health interventions.

The ambassador was informed that mobile laboratories provided as support by the US government were deployed in the provinces and were playing an important role in the control of the epidemics.