Lahore: Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that building a strong and sustainable healthcare system requires quality education, research, trained human resources, modern technology, effective policies, strong regulation and meaningful public-private partnerships.
Addressing the Health and Education Summit Pakistan 2026 as a special guest at the Expo Centre on Saturday, he said that healthcare was not merely about constructing hospitals or providing medical treatment, but about strengthening the entire health system.
The minister said he was representing Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz at the summit due to her official visit to China. He congratulated Prof. Dr. Rashid Latif, the Rashid Latif Khan Group, organisers and participants for bringing together healthcare, education, academia, research, industry, technology and the private sector on a common platform.
He said the Punjab government was focusing not only on expanding healthcare services but also on improving access and quality, developing specialised services, investing in the healthcare workforce, effectively utilising technology and strengthening institutions.
‘Our goal is to develop a healthcare system that is more accessible, accountable, transparent and capable of meeting the changing medical needs of the people of Punjab,’ he added.
Khawaja Salman Rafique emphasised that partnerships were essential as the government alone could not address every healthcare challenge. He said stronger collaboration among the government, private sector, educational institutions, industry and healthcare professionals was necessary to achieve better outcomes.
He said various healthcare initiatives launched by the Punjab Chief Minister were among the best examples of the public-private partnership model. Alongside government hospitals, private healthcare institutions were also working with the government to expand access to quality medical facilities.
Highlighting major initiatives, the minister said the Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Programme was being implemented in both government and private hospitals. Similarly, kidney and liver transplant facilities were available at the Punjab Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI), Jinnah Hospital and other private hospitals across Punjab.
He said bone marrow transplantation, cochlear implants and corneal transplants were also being provided through both public and private healthcare institutions, while cancer treatment was available at government hospitals as well as hospitals run by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission across Punjab.
Adult cardiac surgery, he added, was also being performed by both government and private medical institutions.
Referring to the government’s dialysis programme, Khawaja Salman Rafique said more than 2.2 million free dialysis sessions had been provided, with hundreds of private hospitals working alongside the government.
He said the Stroke Management Programme was being led directly by the government, with Stroke Management Centres established in 40 hospitals across Punjab. The number would be expanded to 57 hospitals by December, he added.
The health minister said new specialised medical centres were also being established in different cities of the province, including children’s hospitals, cardiology institutes, cancer hospitals, burn units and medical colleges.
He said the Punjab government was strengthening its healthcare workforce through the recruitment of thousands of doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians and other healthcare professionals.
The number of annual nursing education seats, he said, had been increased from 3,000 to 6,100, while 625 additional MBBS and BDS seats would be added from next year.
He said the government was also focusing on allied health professionals to improve hospital efficiency, quality of care and patient safety.
At the primary healthcare level, he said, Clinics on Wheels, field hospitals and upgraded primary health centres were helping bring essential medical services closer to people’s doorsteps.
‘Our priority is clear: to identify gaps, improve the system and ensure timely, quality and accessible healthcare for every citizen,’ he said.
Khawaja Salman Rafique also stressed the need to strengthen the use of data and research in policymaking to ensure that decisions were based on facts and actual public needs.
He said the Punjab government aimed to develop a healthcare system based on the key principles of accessibility, affordability, innovation and accountability.
Expressing confidence in the outcome of the summit, the minister said the event would prove to be an important step towards generating new ideas, building stronger partnerships and formulating better healthcare policies.
Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Prof. Dr. Rashid Latif Khan, Prof. Dr. Mahmood Ayaz, CEO Punjab Health Initiative Management Company Dr. Ali Razaq, Prof. Dr. Abrar Ashraf, Dr. Sabahat Khan, vice chancellors, heads of medical institutions, hospital CEOs, healthcare professionals, regulators, industry and technology representatives, international partners, overseas Pakistanis, researchers, young doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals attended the summit.
