Islamabad: Recent HIV cases and outbreaks in different parts of the country were not reported to the federal government in time, with some disclosed only after case numbers reached 160 and, in some instances, 400, hampering informed policymaking and Pakistan’s international reporting obligations, Minister of State for Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath said on Tuesday.
Addressing the Health Services Academy’s 16th Annual International Public Health Conference, he urged provincial health managers, including those from Gilgit-Baltistan, to report disease information promptly to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad.
Timely, reliable data was essential to identify which diseases were affecting particular populations and communities and to plan effective prevention measures, he said.
Dr. Mukhtar Bharath said data-sharing agreements had been signed with Sindh and Balochistan, while the ministry was working to reach similar agreements with other provinces and regions. The government was developing a national health information system to enable secure data to flow from health facilities to district, provincial and federal levels, bringing information on communicable and non-communicable diseases together.
The ministry, in collaboration with the NIH, was also working to integrate provincial reporting on HIV and other priority diseases into the National Health Data Center to support early detection and timely reporting. Bharath cited the polio programme’s collection, verification and sharing of data as an example of how reliable information could support disease control.
He said the ministry was preparing a proposed Health Security Act to protect health information, ensure privacy and confidentiality, and provide a basis for responsible data sharing. Digital health required more than collecting information, he said, adding that data had to be accurate, reliable and compatible across systems. He also stressed the need for data security and ethical use of artificial intelligence.
The state minister referred to efforts to integrate digital mental health services and data under the National Mental Health Policy 2026–2035, and to develop an Islamabad Capital Territory dashboard on contraceptive use and family-planning counselling to identify service gaps. He said digital health solutions should improve access for women, adolescents and underserved communities, including those facing barriers related to connectivity, affordability and digital literacy.
The conference, themed “Digital Health Innovations for Better Health Outcomes,” brought together public health experts, policymakers, academics, healthcare professionals, development partners and technology innovators. Bharath congratulated HSA on its recognition by the Asian Development Bank and Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation as a global centre of excellence in public health education. He said the academy could help prepare a digitally skilled health workforce.
HSA Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shahzad Ali Khan said telemedicine, health information systems, data analytics, artificial intelligence and digital disease surveillance could improve healthcare access, disease prevention and timely decision-making. He called for collaboration among government, universities, development partners, the private sector and technology organisations, and said the benefits of digital health must reach underserved populations.
Bharath also inaugurated HSA’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, which the academy said would expand professional education and strengthen the healthcare workforce. Khan said HSA would continue to advance public health education, applied research, capacity building and evidence-based policymaking through national and international collaboration.
Participants discussed the use of digital technology in disease prevention, health surveillance, data management and service delivery. They also highlighted the need to invest in health professionals’ digital skills, noting that technology required qualified staff, strong institutions and responsible governance to improve health outcomes.
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