Legal Challenges in Health Data Privacy in Pakistan: Safeguarding Patient Information in the Digital Era

Abstract

This article conducts a comprehensive study of the legal controversy in protecting health data privacy, discussed specifically under the Protection of Health Information Act and related regulations. Through a case specific study of data breaches, unauthorized access, and ethical dilemmas, the study identifies gaps in the existing legal framework. Synthesis of findings highlights that challenges posed by them represents an important problem to be addressed to improve of healthcare in Pakistan. Our recommendations to strengthen health data privacy regulations include continuous legal change to fit technological progress, tough data security measures, public information campaigns, and ethicalstandards for new technologies. Actions outlined in these recommendations ensure the laying of a solid foundation of resilience for Pakistan’s healthcare, empoweringit to challenge trust among the patient, defining the guidelines of practice as ethical ones and making possible the realization of the promise towards improvement of healthcare quality. This article is a call to action for policymakers, healthcare professionals and legal authorities to work together to navigate the complexities of health dataprivacy in a way aligned to improving healthcare for Pakistan’s people in a brighter and more patient centric way.