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The State of Health in Pakistan: An Overview

Author

Listed:
  • Uzma Afzal

    (Senior Teaching and Research Fellow, Centerfor Research in Economics and Business (CREB), Lahore School of Economics, Pakistan.)

  • Anam Yusuf

    (Research Fellow, Graduate Institute of Development Studies (GIDS), Lahore School of Economics, Pakistan.)

Abstract

Although the Millennium Development Goals provide countries with well-rounded objectives for achieving human development over a period of 25 years, Pakistan is not on track to achieving the health-related goals. With the eighth highest newborn death rate in the world, in 2001–07 one in every ten children born in Pakistan died before reaching the age of five.Similarly, women havea 1 in 80 chance of dying of maternal health causes duringreproductive life. Compared to other South Asian countries, Pakistan currently lagsbehind in immunization coverage, contraceptive use, and infant and child mortality rates. Expenditure as a percentage of private expenditure on health is about 98 percent, positioning Pakistan among those countries with the highest share of out-of-pocket payments relative to total health expenditure (World Health Organization, 2009). Pakistan is also going through an epidemiological transition where it faces the double burden of communicable diseases combined with maternaland perinatal conditions, as well as chronic, noninfectious diseases. The landscape of public health service delivery presents an uneven distribution of resources between rural and urban areas: The rural poor are at a clear disadvantage in terms of primary and tertiary health services, and also fail to benefit fully from public programs such as the immunization of children. The poor state of public facilities overall has contributed to the diminished role of public health facilities, while the private sector’s role in the provision of service delivery has increased enormously. Following the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, the health sector has been devolved to the provinces, but the distribution of responsibilities and sources of revenue generation between the tiers remains unclear. A multipronged national health policy is needed that tackles the abysmal child and maternal health indicators, and reduces the burden of disease. Moreover, it is imperative to improve the provision of primary and tertiary healthcare with a strong monitoring system in place.

Suggested Citation

  • Uzma Afzal & Anam Yusuf, 2013. "The State of Health in Pakistan: An Overview," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 18(Special E), pages 233-247, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:lje:journl:v:18:y:2013:i:sp:p:233-247
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Muhammad Akram & Faheem Jehangir Khan, 2007. "Health Care Services and Government Spending in Pakistan," PIDE-Working Papers 2007:32, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    2. World Bank, 2011. "Social Protection in Health," World Bank Publications - Reports 27426, The World Bank Group.
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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Atif & Afaq Ali Khan & Sibghatullah & Saeed Ahmed & Muhammad Yaqoob, 2024. "Socio-Economic Inclusion and Sustainable Economic Growth: An Evidence from Pakistan," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 13(1), pages 70-77.
    2. Ghulam Muhammad Kundi, 2019. "Impact of Public Health Awareness on Preventive and Curative Healthcare," Journal of Asian Scientific Research, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(9), pages 116-126, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Millenium Development Goals; public health; Pakistan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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