KARACHI: Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho has revealed that patient data has been leaked and privacy breaches have occurred in the province, stressing the need for stronger safeguards to protect sensitive medical information.
Speaking at an event focused on digital healthcare at a local hotel, Pechuho said the protection of patients’ personal information was a serious concern. She emphasized that maintaining patient confidentiality is a fundamental responsibility of the healthcare system.
The provincial government is also launching an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system as part of broader efforts to modernize healthcare services across Sindh. The digital initiatives are intended to improve data management, service delivery and transparency.
Pechuho said prompt action could be taken in cases involving data leaks and called for effective measures to protect patients’ information. She added that properly managed healthcare data could help researchers better understand diseases, treatments and patient outcomes.
Digital Data to Support Health Policy
According to the health minister, data generated through digital healthcare systems could play an important role in future policymaking and help authorities make better decisions about healthcare services.
She said digital systems could also improve transparency in service delivery, operational spending and logistics. Better access to reliable data would help authorities monitor healthcare operations and identify areas requiring improvement.
Pechuho said different Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) would enable more effective monitoring of healthcare data, while quota-tracking systems could help authorities verify and monitor relevant information.
The minister further said HMIS, portal tracking systems, DHIS-2 and Electronic Medical Records would eventually be interconnected. She said integrating these digital platforms could improve healthcare delivery and strengthen oversight of logistics and operational expenditure.
The remarks come as Sindh moves toward greater use of digital health records, with data protection and patient confidentiality emerging as key concerns alongside the modernization of healthcare services.