'We must focus on preventive healthcare': President Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi on Monday said that they must focus on preventive healthcare as it was more cost-efficient than curative healthcare, Radio Pakistan reported.

Talking to president-elect of Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America Dr. Naheed Usmani in Islamabad, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Alvi said that effective and efficient healthcare was an important determinant in promoting general well-being of people.

The president said enhancing primary healthcare could also help lessen the burden on secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.

Appreciating the services of APPNA members for teaching young doctors, the president said Pakistan valued its services in helping needy Pakistani medical students through scholarship endowment.

He also stressed the need for further strengthening APPNA educational initiatives in Pakistan.

Earlier on July 28, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza had said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government was committed for provision of best healthcare facilities to patients.

In an interview, on the eve of World Hepatitis Day, Dr Zafar had said that “We have done a comprehensive planning to totally transform the healthcare system in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of the federal government.”

He had said that the vision of present government was totally different from the previous regimes as it believed in establishing a truly welfare state where people have equal access to opportunities and services including the health.