Islamabad: Acting President of Pakistan and Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani has backed the expansion of the Health Services Academy to underserved regions of the country, stressing the need to widen access to quality, skill based public health education beyond major urban centres.
He assured the government’s full support for the expansion of the Health Services Academy to promote public health during his meeting with Prof. Shahzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor of HSA, on Thursday.
Prof Shahzad shared details of the meeting, saying he briefed the Acting President on the Academy’s ongoing work, future expansion plans and its growing role in supporting parliament and the government on health policy, workforce development and national health response.
According to Prof Shahzad, he emphasised that Pakistan’s public health challenges cannot be addressed unless training opportunities are taken closer to communities that have long remained underserved.
He underlined the need to develop additional HSA campuses so students from South Punjab, interior Sindh, Balochistan and peripheral districts of other provinces can access quality public health education without relocating to Islamabad or other major cities.
He said the Acting President was also briefed on HSA’s recent detailed presentations to the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services and the National Assembly Standing Committee on Health.
These briefings covered health workforce gaps, preparedness for public health emergencies and the need for institutional strengthening to improve planning and service delivery across the country.
Acting President Yousaf Raza Gillani, Prof Shahzad said, appreciated the quality and depth of the briefings given to both parliamentary committees and noted that such technical input was essential for informed legislation and effective oversight of the health sector.
During the meeting, Prof Shahzad also discussed plans to expand HSA’s programmes in health technology and digital health systems, with a focus on improving disease surveillance, health planning and decision making within the public sector. He said these programmes were being designed to respond to Pakistan’s practical needs rather than theoretical models.
A significant part of the discussion centred on extending HSA’s outreach to South Punjab and other neglected regions, where shortages of trained public health professionals continue to weaken health services. Prof Shahzad said the Acting President agreed that reducing regional disparities in training and capacity was critical for improving health outcomes nationwide.
He added that Gillani also appreciated HSA’s role in national health response and mitigation, including training of frontline health workers, applied research and continuous policy advice to federal and provincial governments.
Prof Shahzad said the meeting reflected growing recognition at the highest parliamentary level that strengthening institutions like HSA and taking them beyond the federal capital was essential for building a more equitable and resilient health system in Pakistan.
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