Summary Health Minister Mustafa Kamal announced mandatory premarital thalassemia testing and said Pakistan’s first genetic policy will be introduced within a month to improve preventive healthcare
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has announced that premarital thalassemia testing will be made mandatory as part of the government’s upcoming health reforms.
Speaking at a press briefing on genetic policy, the minister said that Pakistan’s first genetic policy will be introduced within a month.
Kamal said Pakistan is on track to become the world’s fourth most populous country by 2030. He warned that rising disease burdens, combined with economic challenges, could place significant strain on the healthcare system if preventive measures are not taken in time.
Mustafa Kamal said the current condition of hospitals in the country reflects an alarming situation, even in the absence of any specific outbreak. He added that the health sector has become a matter of national security and stressed the need to shift focus from treatment to prevention of diseases.
The minister said the government aims to move toward a modern healthcare model based on genome profiling to enable early detection and prevention of inherited and complex diseases. He confirmed that work is underway on making thalassemia screening mandatory for both men and women before marriage.
He further said screening centres are being established across the country and noted that Pakistan spends billions annually on the diagnosis and treatment of genetic and hereditary diseases.
