PESHAWAR: German medical technology company Siemens plans to send representatives to Pakistan to sign agreements with local partners on health technology and capacity building, President Asif Ali Zardari’s office said on Saturday, following his meeting with company executives in Berlin.

The proposed agreements come as Pakistan seeks to improve health care infrastructure and expand access to medical services, particularly in remote and underserved areas. Siemens has an established presence in Pakistan, with more than 100 employees working in three major cities, including Karachi.

Siemens Executive Vice President Daniel Frisch and Veronika Pfister, the company’s head of government affairs, informed Zardari of the planned visit during their meeting, according to the statement.

“The delegation told the President that their representatives will soon visit Pakistan to sign MoUs with their partners in capacity building and technological domains in the health industry of Pakistan,” the statement said.

It added that Siemens’ technological cooperation extended to the treatment of cancer, stroke and other diseases, without providing details of the proposed agreements, their financial value or an implementation timeline.

Zardari urged the adoption of research-based and technology-driven solutions to improve health care delivery in Pakistan, emphasizing the need to make quality medical services accessible and affordable.

“We strive for broadened and all-inclusive provision of quality health care, particularly for poverty-stricken people in remote areas,” he said.

The president welcomed Siemens’ existing operations in Pakistan and encouraged the company to expand its cooperation in the country’s health sector.

He also encouraged Siemens to consider investments in other social and industrial sectors, citing the company’s technological expertise, and assured the delegation of institutional support through Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

The SIFC was established in 2023 to facilitate investment by coordinating decisions among federal and provincial authorities and addressing regulatory and administrative obstacles.

The meeting followed talks between Zardari and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier a day earlier, during which the two sides discussed expanding bilateral cooperation.