The healthcare system still poses a challenge.

Byline: AHSAN NISAR

Superior public-private partnerships needed for better health coverage in Pakistan

The healthcare system in Pakistan comprises a three-tier system of primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. The public and private sectors work together to provide the best possible care, but the healthcare burden, in general, has led to the failure of the deliverance of quality healthcare, more significantly in the government setup, which, in the last 10 years, has spent a meager 0.5-0.8% of gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare against recommended 6% of the GDP by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In recent times, however, Pakistan has been identifying these gaps and formulating policies that guide towards the betterment of its healthcare. Pakistan has covered around 70% of the rural population, providing basic healthcare facilities, such as vaccination, mother and child healthcare services, and nutrition. Later advancements have led to the inclusion of individuals' well-being, encompassing social and mental health measures along with physical health as determinants of the quality of life.

Task ahead

Pakistan has a long way ahead towards the development of an effective, accessible, and affordable healthcare system. The system is plagued with numerous flaws, ranging from inadequate infrastructure to inequitable distribution of healthcare facilities. The lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure is one of Pakistan's biggest challenges. There is an extreme shortage of healthcare facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres. The chronic underfunding of the health sector is a massive reason for the lack of infrastructure, burdened by corruption, an unstable political system, and inequitable distribution of resources.

Pakistan needs to construct and equip many more tertiary care and teaching centres. Moreover, the funding is inequitably distributed to Pakistan's urban and developed cities. Hence, access to healthcare services is marked by stark disparities, with the rural population and low-income communities lacking basic healthcare facilities.

Pakistan desperately needs to increase its healthcare budget to improve its health infrastructure and overcome its workforce shortage. The government should prioritise constructing and upgrading healthcare facilities, particularly in rural areas. In addition, efforts must be made to explore innovative financing models to generate funds for healthcare. The development of...