Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, underscoring the central role of doctors in strengthening the public healthcare system, has said that healthcare professionals must have a meaningful voice in shaping health policy, public health reforms and medical education in the country.
He stressed that a society which fails to respect and protect its doctors, nurses and healthcare workers cannot be regarded as truly civilized. The Chairman of PPP attended the convocation ceremony of Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) as the chief guest here on Tuesday.
Addressing the convocation of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, he said the occasion marked not only a personal milestone for the graduates but also a defining moment for the nation, as young doctors step into a world facing unprecedented healthcare challenges.
He said the graduates had completed their education during an era shaped by global pandemics, climate emergencies, mental health crises and widening inequalities in health care.
He further said that Jinnah Sindh Medical University carried a name synonymous with vision, discipline and service, adding that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah firmly believed that education and health were the foundations of a strong Pakistan. “A nation cannot rise if its people are unwell, unheard or unseen,” he added.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said medicine was not merely about diagnostics or pharmacology, but about humanity itself. “Your white coats are not symbols of privilege; they are promises-to serve without prejudice, to heal without discrimination and to place compassion above convenience,” he added.
He stressed that healthcare professionals deserved not only gratitude but also dignity, protection and adequate resources to perform their duties safely.
The Chairman of PPP said that Pakistan continued to face serious healthcare challenges, including maternal and child mortality, malnutrition, neglect of mental health, climate-related diseases and unequal access to healthcare. He said these challenges would be overcome not by slogans, but by skilled, ethical and committed doctors willing to serve where they were most needed.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari assured young doctors that their voices must play a role in shaping health policy, public health reforms and medical education in the country.
Pakistan needed doctors who were competent and conscious, intelligent and ethical, ambitious yet accountable. “Pakistan needs you. Sindh needs you. Humanity needs you,” he added.
He also lauded the role of the faculty and administration of JSMU. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Minister for Universities and Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahu, university officials and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.