In an effort to boost digital initiatives that can change healthcare ecosystem of Pakistan, Novartis Pharmaceutical has recently organized Pakistan Digital Health Day in collaboration with Pakistan Digital Health Initiative (PDHI) at National Incubation Center (NIC) Karachi. The featured speakers and panel discussions during the event revolved around how technology can transform the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector of the country.
As reported by Business Recorder, the basic motive of the event was to present work by Pakistani tech startups which are working on healthcare ideas to leverage Pakistan’s digital health ecosystem. The speakers stressed that these startups are playing a major role in this regard, and NIC being a framework which brings them all together, is fully committed and onboard to promote such digital health initiative.
It is worth mentioning here that the newly launched PDHI will be a completely independent entity which will act as a convening platform to bring government, private sector, and academia to form policies and solutions regarding digital health.
See Also: Future of digital healthcare platforms in Pakistan
While discussing the digital health ecosystem in Pakistan, Dr. Zakiuddin Ahmed, CEO Digital Care and Program Director of Digital Health at King Saud University remarked;
“Studies have shown that around the world healthcare technology will exceed the market size of $600 billion by 2021. Global healthcare systems are embracing new technologies and undergoing massive transformation, however, Pakistan has yet to catch up. Digital technology enables access to healthcare easier in developing economies such as Pakistan, where a major chunk of the population resides in far-flung areas. Therefore, it is essential that we make the most of digital healthcare technologies to address key medical needs of the populace.”
Meanwhile, Director NIC Shahjahan Chaudhary also talked about the digital healthcare innovations done at NIC. He highlighted that the entrepreneurship has always been the central point of gravity at NIC and bringing healthcare in this innovative domain would certainly be a remarkable achievement for achieving future goals. He offered his commitment to providing healthcare sector a suitable place in the national facility. He believes that such efforts could help in curbing the ever-growing health crisis in Pakistan.
Various members of relevant government bodies, public policy, corporate sector, and academia attended the event to discuss challenges faced by Pakistanis in the healthcare sector.
