Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) Chairperson Dr. Sohail Munir has called for a connected and well-governed digital health ecosystem to improve healthcare coordination, access to services and public health decision-making across the country. He shared the vision during the 16th Annual International Public Health Conference hosted by the Health Services Academy (HSA) in Islamabad under the theme “Digital Health Innovations for Better Health Outcomes.” Addressing a plenary session titled “Digital Health for Stronger Health Systems,” Dr. Sohail delivered a presentation on building Pakistan’s digital health ecosystem through governance, interoperability and responsible innovation. The discussion brought together representatives from government, healthcare, higher education and social protection to examine how digital technologies can support healthcare delivery and improve coordination between institutions. His address highlighted the need to develop shared foundations for digital health rather than introducing disconnected systems that operate independently across hospitals, departments and public-sector organisations.
Dr. Sohail identified governance, interoperability and responsible innovation as the central priorities for developing a trusted digital health ecosystem. Governance involves establishing clear policies, institutional responsibilities and standards for managing digital health services and information. Interoperability, meanwhile, enables different digital systems to exchange and use information in a consistent manner. This is particularly relevant to healthcare, where patient records, diagnostic information and service histories may be maintained by different hospitals, laboratories and government departments. When systems cannot communicate effectively, healthcare professionals may face difficulties accessing relevant information, while authorities may struggle to develop a complete picture of public health needs. Shared standards and coordinated digital infrastructure can help address these challenges by making information exchange more consistent, secure and useful for healthcare delivery. Responsible innovation also requires attention to data privacy, security, accuracy and appropriate use, particularly when sensitive patient information is involved.
The Pakistan Digital Authority’s wider digital transformation agenda includes work on digital public infrastructure, national data exchange and interoperable information systems. In healthcare, these foundations could support the development of connected health information systems and digital services that operate across institutional and provincial boundaries. Better information exchange could help authorities identify service gaps, coordinate public health responses and make decisions using more reliable data. Digital systems may also support electronic health records, disease surveillance, telehealth and artificial intelligence-assisted analysis, provided they are developed with appropriate safeguards and clear accountability. Achieving these outcomes will require cooperation between federal and provincial governments, healthcare institutions, technology specialists and policymakers. No single ministry or hospital can establish a fully connected national system independently, making institutional coordination and the development of shared technical standards important parts of the process. The PDA has also been working with the World Health Organization and the Health Services Academy on digital health governance, policy development, interoperability and capacity-building, reflecting a broader effort to establish the foundations needed for sector-wide transformation.
The conference provided a platform for discussing how digital innovation can contribute to more coordinated and responsive healthcare systems in Pakistan. The Health Services Academy presented Dr. Sohail with a commemorative shield in recognition of his address. The wider discussion around digital health reflects the need to combine technology with institutional readiness, skilled personnel and responsible information management. While digital platforms can make healthcare information more accessible and support evidence-based planning, their effectiveness depends on the quality of the underlying data, the security of information exchange and the ability of institutions to use the systems consistently. Building a connected digital health ecosystem will therefore require sustained collaboration, clear governance arrangements and continued investment in technical capacity. For Pakistan, establishing these foundations could help healthcare institutions coordinate services more effectively and support better-informed decisions on public health priorities.
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