Key Takeaways
- The federal government plans to introduce an AI-powered diagnostic system across 1,100 hospitals.
- The initiative is part of the Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme and aims to improve disease detection.
- An agreement with Alibaba Group is expected to support the project.
Pakistan's federal government has announced plans to deploy an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered diagnostic system in 1,100 public and private hospitals across the country. This initiative forms part of the Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme, which aims to enhance disease detection and expand access to advanced healthcare services.
According to official statements from the Press Information Department, Alibaba Group's DAMO Academy and Sky47 will be involved in deploying AI-powered disease screening systems in major Pakistani cities. The agreement is expected to be signed next month, marking a significant step towards integrating cutting-edge technology into Pakistan’s health sector.
The AI diagnostic platform is anticipated to benefit nearly 200 million Pakistanis by providing faster and more accurate diagnoses of complex diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. Officials believe that the use of AI-driven medical technology can reduce diagnostic costs, potentially saving the government billions of rupees annually.
Currently, the federal government spends around Rs. 10 billion annually on the Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme. Punjab allocates approximately Rs. 60 billion for its programme, while Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spend around Rs. 10 billion and more than Rs. 40 billion respectively each year. Officials hope that this new system will improve healthcare efficiency, speed up disease detection, and reduce pressure on the public health system.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also extended an invitation to the head of Alibaba Group for a visit to Pakistan. The initiative is expected to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and China in the field of healthcare technology.
The nationwide rollout of the AI diagnostic system will cover Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. This comprehensive approach aims to ensure that all regions benefit from advanced medical technologies.
Separately, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has announced plans for the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research Center to become a fully free government cancer hospital in Pakistan. The minister stated during a visit to the under-construction facility that no patient would be denied treatment at this new institution.
The minister further mentioned that patients with level three and four cancer will also receive free treatment at the new hospital, marking a significant step towards equitable access to healthcare services for all segments of society.
