Former state minister of health of Pakistan Zafar Mirza has defended Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal amid intense criticism over the recent PIMS tragedy, saying the minister has shown courage by acknowledging the serious problems facing Pakistan’s healthcare system.
In a statement, the Former state minister of health of Pakistan Zafar Mirza said the criticism on Mustafa Kamal was understandable but argued that politics should be set aside while addressing the wider healthcare crisis.
The official said that although Kamal is neither a doctor nor a public health professional, he has quickly understood the major challenges facing the country’s health system.
“He has shown moral courage by openly accepting responsibility,” the Zafar Mirza said, adding that Kamal had acknowledged how deeply Pakistan’s health system had deteriorated over the years.
The statement also praised the minister for highlighting political pressure in appointments and describing the crisis as a collective failure of successive governments.
The former official said Mustafa Kamal has also consistently drawn attention to the deaths of nearly 400,000 children under the age of 5 due to inadequate and poor-quality healthcare across Pakistan.
“This is more than 1,000 children every day. This is the real issue we need to tackle,” the official said, adding that the problem was complex and difficult to resolve.
Having previously held a similar position, the former official said they fully understood the pressure facing Mustafa Kamal.
“At least he is showing courage. And, importantly, he is telling the truth,” the statement concluded.
