ISLAMABAD: Pakistan produces some of the most competent doctors in the world who are serving in leading hospitals across the Middle East, Europe, Australia, and America, yet public hospitals at home continue to suffer from shortages of doctors, nurses and paramedics, said World Health Organization Representative to Pakistan Dr. Luo Dapeng, urging the country to retain its own trained professionals to strengthen its health system.
In an exclusive conversation with The News at his office, Dr. Luo, who has travelled extensively across Pakistan and visited tertiary hospitals in major cities to basic health units in remote districts, said it was impressive to see how Pakistani doctors rose to senior clinical and leadership roles when they moved abroad on their own.
“Whether in the Gulf countries, in London, Melbourne or in East African hospitals, I have seen Pakistani doctors in charge of critical units. Their skill, discipline and work ethic stand out. Pakistan should be proud of the medical talent it produces,” he said.
However, he noted that the same expertise was not always available for Pakistani patients.
“Doctors leave because health systems abroad offer structured pathways, professional dignity and working conditions that allow them to grow. If Pakistan creates that environment here, many of them would prefer to serve their own people,” he said.
He added that the shortage was not limited to doctors alone, as Pakistan was also facing a critical gap in trained nurses and paramedics.
Dr. Luo said WHO was assisting the government in reviewing more than 600 nursing schools to improve curriculum quality, accreditation and training standards.
According to him, Pakistan has the human potential to build a strong health workforce, but it needs to invest in retention, career progression and respect for frontline staff.
“A country that produces so much medical talent should not be struggling to staff its own hospitals,” he observed.
Sharing his personal connection with Pakistan, Dr. Luo said he considered the country his second home.
As a Chinese national working here, Luo said he had always been received with hospitality and respect by communities and officials alike.
“When I visit interior Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or villages in Gilgit-Baltistan, people welcome me with sincerity. This warmth gives me a personal stake in Pakistan’s progress,” he said.
Turning to disease patterns, he said Pakistan was facing a growing wave of lifestyle-related illnesses due to everyday eating habits that often go unnoticed.
“I have visited dozens of countries but I have never seen people adding salt to rice while cooking except in Pakistan,” he said.
He added that rice was a staple food for millions and when it was mixed during cooking or even in boiled rice, it becomes a hidden but major source of sodium intake, directly contributing to high blood pressure and heart disease.
On his arrival in Pakistan, he even requested the office cafeteria not to add salt to rice, saying the population already consumes a high amount of salt through pickles, packaged spices and restaurant food.
He said Pakistanis also consume a large quantity of sugar through tea, sweetened drinks and even fresh juices where sugar is unnecessarily added.
Combined with high-carbohydrate diets and generous use of oil and fats in household cooking, this has pushed the country into a high-risk zone for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
“These conditions are largely preventable. With small changes in food practices and strong awareness messages, people can protect themselves,” he said.
At the same time, Pakistan continues to battle infectious diseases such as dengue, diarrheal illnesses, malaria, hepatitis C and rising cases of HIV, especially after recent floods and disruptions in health services. Despite this, Dr. Luo said he remains optimistic about Pakistan’s future, saying the country has resilience, talent and a strong base of medical education.
“If Pakistan retains its doctors and nurses, improves training standards and promotes healthier lifestyle habits, it has everything needed to strengthen its health system. The talent is here. It just needs the right environment to serve at home,” he said.