Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday underscored the central role of doctors in strengthening the public healthcare system. He said healthcare professionals must have a meaningful voice in shaping health policy, public health reforms and medical education in the country.
Attending the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) convocation as the chief guest, he stressed that a society which fails to respect and protect its doctors, nurses and healthcare workers cannot be regarded as truly civilised.
He said the convocation marks 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.
The graduates have completed their education during an era shaped by global pandemics, climate emergencies, mental health crises and widening inequalities in health care, he added. He also said the JSMU carries a name synonymous with vision, discipline and service, adding that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah firmly believed that education and health are the foundations of a strong Pakistan. “A nation cannot rise if its people are unwell, unheard or unseen.”
He said medicine is 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 deserve not only gratitude but also dignity, protection and adequate resources to perform their duties safely.
He also said Pakistan continues to face serious healthcare challenges, including maternal and child mortality, malnutrition, neglect of mental health, climate-related diseases and unequal access to health care. These challenges will be overcome not by slogans, but by skilled, ethical and committed doctors willing to serve where they are most needed, he added.
He told young doctors that their voices must play a role in shaping health policy, public health reforms and medical education in the country. He said Pakistan needs doctors who are competent and conscious, intelligent and ethical, ambitious yet accountable. “Pakistan needs you. Sindh needs you. Humanity needs you,” he stressed. He also lauded the role of the JSMU’s faculty and administration.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Universities & Boards Minister Muhammad Ismail Rahu, JSMU Vice Chancellor Amjad Siraj Memon, university officials and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
