A high-level meeting was held in Islamabad on Monday with Minister for Finance, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, in the chair to review the ongoing development of the National Health and Population Policy (NHPP) for the period 2025-34.

During the meeting, the team of National Health and Population Policy provided an update on the formulation of the policy, which is set to guide the country's health and population strategies for the next decade.

The National Health and Population Policy delegation emphasized that the policy is being developed with a focus on evidence-based decision-making and prioritizing critical health issues, all within the context of the fiscal constraints resulting from Pakistan’s current macroeconomic situation.

It also outlined the broader goals of the policy, which include reorganizing and restructuring the existing health infrastructure and addressing the challenges posed by high population growth.

It was informed that integrating health and population strategies, leveraging political capital to increase public sector financing for the health sector would also be the part of the policy.

These efforts are aimed at creating a health system that works efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of a growing population, particularly the most vulnerable sectors of society.

In addition, the National Health and Population Policy delegation presented a series of proposals and recommendations designed to help achieve the goals.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Finance commended the National Health and Population Policy team for their hard work and the progress made so far.

He urged the National Health and Population Policy delegation to formally submit their recommendations and proposals to the Ministry of Finance for further review and action.

Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb also highlighted the recent signing of a 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the World Bank, which includes a 20 billion dollar commitment to focus on key development areas, including health, education, climate resilience, and sustainable growth.

He noted that the use of population as a criterion for the distribution of resources must be examined holistically.

He emphasized that the policy should align with best international practices and benchmarks to ensure an equitable and effective approach to resource allocation.