Balochistan’s digital health reforms have earned international recognition after being presented as a model of technology-driven innovation at the DHIS2 Asia-Pacific Conference 2026 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where delegates from 26 countries including health experts, government representatives, and development partners gathered to exchange experience and best practices in health information systems. Provincial Health Minister Bakh Muhammad Kakar attended the opening ceremony as guest of honour, where he outlined the province’s progress in digitalising health services, strengthening data-driven decision-making, improving reporting systems, and enhancing accountability across its healthcare network.
The province’s experience was presented as a practical demonstration of how technology can be meaningfully integrated into healthcare delivery even in geographically challenging and resource-constrained settings. Representatives from Oslo University in Norway commended Balochistan’s leadership and praised the efforts to modernise its health system through digital infrastructure, citing the province as an example that other countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific could draw lessons from.
The contributions of provincial coordinators including Dr Ababkar Baloch were acknowledged for their role in strengthening health information systems and driving implementation of digital reforms on the ground, while UNICEF Balochistan and HISP Pakistan were recognised for their technical support in DHIS2 implementation and capacity building across the province. Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti welcomed the international recognition, stating that the reforms represent a significant step toward modern and effective governance, and reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to transparency and accountability through technology and data-driven systems.
The conference was organised jointly by HISP Asia, HISP Sri Lanka, and Oslo University’s HISP Centre, and Balochistan’s participation at the level of a guest of honour alongside the recognition of its reforms marked a notable moment of international visibility for Pakistan’s health sector digitisation efforts. The engagement also reinforced opportunities for continued knowledge exchange and technical cooperation between Balochistan and international health information system partners, positioning the province as an active contributor rather than a passive recipient in the global conversation around digital health transformation.
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