Shafiq Ahmed

Health system in Pakistan

Pakistan is federal state with one central government and provisional governments in four provinces.
Central government has ministry of health which make policies, rules and allocate funds for health
departments. Federal areas which come under central government are supervised by federal health
ministry through its officials directly. In provinces each province has its own provisional health
ministry which work according to health policies passed by federal government. Ministries work
through its official call Director general Health and secretary health.

The provinces are divided into districts; hospitals in the district are called the district headquarters
which is supervised by medical superintendent. Who has an administrative role in the hospitals, there
are under district health officers (DHO) in the rural area there are two types of health facilities. One
for the bigger is called the rural health centre and for the smaller areas they are dispensaries. Rural
health centres and dispensaries administer by DHQ office.

In hospitals there are two types of facilities for the patience’s one is called accident and emergency
and second is OPD which is a daily health care centre (walk in centre). This is fully qualified medical
Doctors see the patience, there refer to senior house offices who are specialist in their field. Who then
further refer to consultant is necessary. In hospital there is midwife, nurses, other staff, but no concept
of health visitor. These departments have a similar role to the UK health system.

In the rural health unit they have one or two MO’s (medical offices) that are fully qualified; they
handle A & E and any general medical health issues. In these rural health centres nurses and midwife
work.

Dispensaries were a fully qualified nursing staff sites, check the patient and refer to other medical
professionals when needed. A midwife also supports this unit.

Unfortunately the is no facility of keeping patience’s medical history.