Pakistan has taken a major step toward introducing its first National Genomics Policy, a move health experts say could help shift the country’s healthcare system from treatment to prevention.
The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, in collaboration with the Health Services Academy, held a high-level consultative meeting on the proposed policy. The meeting brought together experts in genomics, genetics, molecular biology, public health, and health policy.
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal said Pakistan needs to move away from a disease-treatment model and adopt a prevention-focused healthcare system.
He said genomics, early screening, and precision medicine can help reduce inherited and preventable diseases while strengthening the country’s health security.
During the meeting, Health Services Academy Registrar Prof. Dr. Tariq Mahmood Ali presented a national fact sheet highlighting Pakistan’s largely unrecognized burden of genomic diseases.
According to the figures presented, 60 to 70 percent of marriages in Pakistan are consanguineous, raising the risk of recessive genetic disorders by up to 18 times. Pakistan also has more than 10 million thalassemia carriers, with 7,000 to 10,000 new cases reported every year and an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 patients currently living with the disease.
Prof. Dr. Tariq Mahmood Ali said genomic and inherited diseases are costing Pakistan between Rs. 200 billion and Rs. 300 billion annually. Without action, this burden could rise to Rs. 1 trillion per year by 2050.
Prof. Dr. Shahid Mahmood Baig, Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences at the Health Services Academy, presented the draft National Genomic Policy and outlined plans for a National Public Health Genomics Program.
The proposed program includes genomic surveillance systems, workforce training, local diagnostic facilities, preventive screening initiatives, and improved access to genomic services across the country.
Prof. Dr. Baig said genomics is a high-return public health investment, adding that preventive screening can generate a 10 to 50 times return on investment. He said thalassemia prevention programs can reduce affected births by 60 to 90 percent.
Experts welcomed the government’s efforts to develop Pakistan’s first National Genomic Policy, calling it a landmark initiative for the country’s healthcare future.
They said effective implementation of the policy could reduce the national disease burden, save billions in healthcare costs, strengthen health security, and place Pakistan among countries adopting modern precision healthcare.
The meeting concluded with recommendations to advance genomic governance, research, screening, and equitable access to genomic services nationwide.