Pak-US to continue close partnership on health sector

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The United States and Pakistan held the second stand-alone U.S.-Pakistan Health Dialogue on Thursday. According to a press statement issued by the US Embassy Thursday, the dialogue was chaired by Abdul Qadir Patel, Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and Isobel Coleman, Deputy Administrator, USAID.

Pakistan and the United States affirmed their mutual commitment to continue close partnership in the health sector to combat infectious and non-communicable diseases; reduce malnutrition; strengthen the primary health care system and expand quality health services across Pakistan; and support Pakistan’s recovery from the devastating 2022 floods.

Both countries acknowledged their long history of bilateral partnership in the health sector. For decades, the United States has invested in Pakistan’s health sector benefiting millions of Pakistanis.

The United States has extended technical and financial assistance for provision of clean drinking water and sanitation services to more than 300,000 people across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces. The United States has donated more than 79 million safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines in partnership with COVAX; responded to outbreaks of HIV, typhoid fever, and other diseases in Pakistan; and delivered health services to nearly 11 million women and children over the past seven years.

Pakistan has been a strong partner in efforts to improve access to quality health services, increase budget allocations for health, and invest in infrastructure to meet the health needs of the people of Pakistan.

Through the Health Dialogue, the two governments are committing to work together in the ensuing years to help Pakistan continue to recover from the 2022 floods; strengthen maternal and child health and nutrition services; advance international health regulations and global health security; and combat infectious and non-communicable diseases.

The United States remains committed to supporting shared priorities with Pakistan, including on immunizations, health security, and Pakistan’s national public health institute.

Both governments also resolved to continue deepening their bilateral partnership to address the health impacts of climate change and other environmental issues such as air quality and explore how those can be mitigated through the U.S-Pakistan Green Alliance – a framework to focus on food security, climate-smart agriculture, water management, and clean energy.

The delegations discussed the United States’ recent announcement of $16.4 million to combat malnutrition, as well as plans to invest $30 million in already approved FY 2022 resources via USAID programs to support health sector programming in Pakistan. The delegations look forward to the U.S-hosted bilateral Health Dialogue in 2024. (NNI)