Islamabad: The federal government has appointed senior public health expert and clinical epidemiologist Dr Zulfiqar Ali Gorar as National Coordinator of the Common Management Unit (CMU) for AIDS, TB and Malaria, ending a prolonged period during which the country’s key infectious disease coordination body remained without a permanent head amid a worsening HIV situation and continuing challenges related to tuberculosis and malaria.
According to an official notification issued by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on May 15, Dr Zulfiqar Ali Gorar has been appointed as National Coordinator (PPS-11/BPS-21) under the PSDP project titled “Strengthening of Common Management Unit for AIDS, TB and Malaria and Accelerating Response to Control the Three Diseases in Pakistan”.
The appointment has been made on the recommendations of the recruitment committee with the approval of the federal health minister. The position is contract based for two years or till completion of the project, whichever is earlier.
Dr Zulfiqar Ali Gorar is regarded as an experienced public health professional, epidemiologist and infectious disease expert with extensive work in hepatitis control, vaccination, public health systems and communicable disease programmes.
He has previously worked on hepatitis prevention initiatives and public health research and is considered among the few technically strong professionals with expertise in epidemiology and disease control programmes in Pakistan.
The appointment comes at a critical time when Pakistan is witnessing a steady increase in HIV infections, continued tuberculosis burden and periodic malaria outbreaks. Health officials and public health experts had repeatedly expressed concern over the absence of a permanent and technically competent head at the CMU, saying the vacuum was affecting coordination, programme implementation, donor engagement and disease surveillance.
Last month, vitalsnews.com had reported that the health ministry had forwarded four names to the Prime Minister’s Office for appointment against the post, with Dr Zulfiqar Ali Gorar among the shortlisted candidates. Officials had then described him as a clinical epidemiologist with strong technical credentials in infectious disease control and programme management.
The Common Management Unit functions as the central coordinating body for Pakistan’s HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes and manages major international grants, including funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The CMU has remained under intense scrutiny in recent months due to the rising number of HIV infections in the country, concerns regarding surveillance, data sharing and programme governance, and questions over coordination between federal and provincial authorities.
Public health experts hope that the appointment of a technically qualified and experienced professional would strengthen coordination among provinces, improve disease surveillance and accelerate efforts to control HIV, TB and malaria in Pakistan.
Officials in the health ministry said the government was aiming to improve oversight of infectious disease programmes and ensure stronger monitoring, accountability and response mechanisms under the new leadership at the CMU.
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