President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday stressed the need for timely provision of medicines to the patients of orphan (rare) diseases to achieve of the objectives of public healthcare. The President expressed his views at a briefing by Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) regarding the federal policy of manufacturing and assessment of the prices of life-saving orphan drugs here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Orphan diseases are the rare diseases that affect one patient in 2,000 persons. President Mamnoon said relevant stakeholders should also be taken into confidence to increase the effectiveness of the said drug policy. He called for early establishment of Federal Drug Testing Laboratory approved from the World Health Organization to verify the quality of medicines manufactured in Pakistan to enhance their export.
Federal Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar apprised the President that the policy regarding the orphan drugs for the treatment of life-threatening rare diseases would be implemented soon after the completion of necessary legal formalities.