Digital Transformation in Health: A New Era Begins with the Launch of Pakistan’s Medical Devices Licensing System

By Nadir Qureshi, Head of Digital Strategy – Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination

On Monday, 21st July, the Ministry of National Health Services (MoNHSRC), in collaboration with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), hosted a landmark inauguration ceremony at Serena Hotel, Islamabad. The event marked the official launch of Pakistan’s first Digital Licensing and Registration System for Medical Devices — a transformative step toward a more transparent, efficient, and tech-driven healthcare regulatory environment.

The event was graced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Chief Guest. The system was formally unveiled under the leadership of Federal Minister for Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, with active involvement from Secretary Health Waqar ul Hassan, DRAP CEO Obaidullah Malik, and top officials from the health, IT, and information ministries. Industry leaders from pharmaceutical and medical device sectors were also present to witness this digital leap.

As the Head of Digital Strategy, my core responsibility was to design, manage, and execute the digital communication strategy surrounding this high-impact national event. My team and I worked across three critical stages: pre-event engagement, event-day execution, and post-event amplification.

We began with digital storytelling — crafting BTS (behind-the-scenes) content to showcase the preparation and coordination efforts by DRAP and MoNHSRC. These were published in real-time across official social media platforms, generating buzz and building momentum ahead of the inauguration.

• We designed and deployed custom graphics and short-form videos highlighting the event's significance.

• Collaborated with DRAP’s media unit to produce video promos and documentaries highlighting the journey of digitalization.

• Captured and edited high-impact reels and soundbites from keynote speeches of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Federal Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal.

• Coordinated real-time media support, ensuring timely release of press kits and social media content for both digital and print media outlets.

• Engaged with CEOs and executives from the pharma and med-tech industries, recording exclusive testimonial videos on their thoughts regarding this digital initiative.

• We launched a public awareness song and digital video, creatively showcasing the benefits of the new system.

• Released a detailed tutorial video explaining the step-by-step process for online licensing and registration, aimed at improving industry compliance.

• Initiated a strategic X (formerly Twitter) campaign with the hashtag #MustafaKamalDelivers, which trended #1 to #3 in Pakistan for 16 consecutive hours, reaching over 6.3 million users.

This system is more than just software — it’s a commitment to good governance, public service, and digital transformation in healthcare. It ensures greater transparency, speeds up approvals, and provides stakeholders across the medical device industry with efficient, accountable processes.

As the person overseeing the digital journey, I take immense pride in how this initiative has been received and amplified across platforms — not just as an achievement of the Ministry or DRAP, but as a win for all Pakistanis seeking safer, faster, and smarter healthcare systems.

Tags: Digital Health Pakistan, Mustafa Kamal Health Minister, DRAP Licensing System, Medical Device Digitalization, Nadir Qureshi Digital Strategy, MoNHSRC, PM Shehbaz Sharif, Health Sector Reform Pakistan, #MustafaKamalDelivers