Consultative Policy Workshop

📍Aga Khan University

📆 December 2, 2022

Overview:

Accelerate Prosperity (AP) hosted a consultative policy workshop with the aim of promoting an enabling environment for the growth of startups and early-stage businesses in the healthcare sector in Pakistan. This workshop brought together key public and private sector stakeholders to address regulatory and policy challenges facing healthcare entrepreneurs in the region.

Objectives:

1. Facilitate healthcare entrepreneurs in sharing their on-ground challenges.
2. Collaboratively identify actionable solutions to regulatory and policy issues.
3. Develop a policy brief with recommendations for government reforms.
4. Foster collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders.
5. Expand the exposure of AP-supported healthcare businesses to the broader startup ecosystem.

Participants:

The event attracted a diverse range of participants, including:

• Government officials from relevant departments.
• Key ecosystem stakeholders in the healthcare sector.
• Representatives from the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
• Healthcare entrepreneurs, both seasoned and early-stage.
• Stakeholders from Aga Khan University (AKU).
• Subject matter experts and legal professionals, including Dr. Zahra Hoodbhoy, Dr. Asad Mian, Rizwan Khalil Shamsi, Omar Abedin, Azfar Hussain, Umar Alam, Furquan Kidwai, Akbar Allana, Mubariz Siddiqui, among others.

Event Highlights:

• Panel Discussions: Subject matter experts, healthcare entrepreneurs, and legal professionals shared their insights and perspectives on the challenges faced by healthcare startups in Pakistan. Discussions covered regulatory, legal, and practical issues within the sector.

• Interactive Workshops: The workshop included interactive sessions where participants collaborated to brainstorm solutions and recommendations for policy and regulatory reforms.

• Networking Opportunities: The event provided a platform for healthcare entrepreneurs to connect with key stakeholders, fostering networking and potential market linkages.

• Exposure for AP-Supported Businesses: AP-supported healthcare startups gained exposure to the broader startup ecosystem and entrepreneurial networks.

Outcomes:

The primary outcome of the workshop will be the development of a comprehensive policy brief. This brief will encapsulate the key findings, insights, and recommendations arising from the event. It will serve as a valuable resource for the government to ease policy and regulatory constraints and bureaucratic hurdles faced by entrepreneurs in the healthcare sector.

Next Steps:

The findings and recommendations from the policy brief will be shared with relevant government authorities, fostering dialogue and potential policy changes to support healthcare innovation. Additionally, the event will lay the foundation for ongoing collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders in the healthcare sector, ensuring that innovative startups have the support and opportunities they need to thrive.

Accelerate Prosperity’s consultative policy workshop is a crucial step towards nurturing a dynamic and thriving healthcare startup ecosystem in Pakistan. It promises to bridge regulatory gaps and promote innovation while facilitating valuable connections within the sector.