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Prices of 52 essential and life-saving medicines remain pending despite approval by the Cabinet Drug Pricing Committee. The Health Ministry is seeking the prime minister’s approval to move the matter to the federal cabinet so DRAP can notify maximum retail prices.
The Sindh High Court has ordered an independent committee to investigate an HIV outbreak among children linked to Karachi’s Kulsum Bai Valika Hospital. The court also directed free long-term treatment, possible compensation and a two-month inquiry into safety failures, syringe use and official responsibility.
The Sindh High Court has disposed of petitions challenging the procurement of robotic surgical systems for government hospitals, noting that the machines have already been installed. The court left the petitioner free to pursue corruption allegations before NAB, keeping the accountability question open.
Pakistan’s health minister has warned that the national population could reach 400 million by 2040, intensifying pressure on healthcare, education and essential resources. The government has formed a national council and is calling for stronger maternal-health and voluntary family-planning services.
The Pakistan Medical Association says around 13.8 million people in the country live with chronic hepatitis B or C, giving Pakistan the world’s fifth-largest viral hepatitis burden. Officials have urged stronger prevention, screening, vaccination and enforcement against unsafe medical practices.
Punjab has introduced portable digital X-ray services for captive wildlife, with the technology already used on a fallow deer and python at Lahore Zoo. The initiative aims to reduce transportation stress, accelerate diagnosis and improve veterinary care across provincial wildlife facilities.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has urged transparent, evidence-based drug-pricing decisions that protect access to essential medicines. The cabinet committee reviewed regulatory proposals amid growing concern over rising pharmaceutical costs and potential supply shortages.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal says 22 Pakistan-China healthcare agreements worth about $629.5 million have been signed, covering vaccines, APIs, clinical trials, medical devices and pharmaceutical production. The government says the deals are part of a wider push to attract investment, reduce import dependence and build local health manufacturing capacity.
Sindh Ombudsman Mohammad Sohail Rajput was informed that 16 more children had tested positive for HIV at Karachi's Valika Hospital, raising the tally to 94. Authorities have been ordered to improve care, arrange an audit, support families and strengthen medical oversight.
Pakistan’s medicine pricing debate has intensified after PYPA claimed that five multinational pharma firms left the country following deregulation of drug prices. Drap rejected the policy-link allegation, saying some companies changed regional strategies or entered joint ventures.
Around 40 newly registered medicines, including major cancer therapies, remain unavailable in Pakistan because federal price notifications are still pending. Health officials say the approvals are being pursued, while patients continue to rely on costly and uncertain informal supply routes.
Pakistan is advancing plans to introduce a breakthrough therapy for Hepatitis Delta through an accelerated regulatory pathway after discussions at the Pakistan-China B2B Health Conference. Health officials say the move could improve treatment access for a disease believed to affect more than one million suspected patients in the country.
