Health and Medicine in Pakistan

Health is another important sector in human life. In Pakistan attempts have been made to
improve the health conditions of the people through availability of trained personnel, adequate
supply of medicines and establishment of health services. Yet the health care system as a whole
is not encouraging. The main health problems are preventable communicable diseases, severe
malnutrition and high incident of birth resulting of high proportion of infant and maternal
mortality. There are also clear differentials in health conditions by rural and urban areas and
socio-economic groups. Malaria, Tuberculosis and wide variety of childhood diseases such as
diarrhea, measles and tetanus etc. still continue to pose potential threat to the health of millions
of people in the country. Unsanitary condition, polluted water and illiteracy among rural mother,
urban slum and high fertility, small budgetary allocation and inadequate administrative structure
have been identified as the main hurdles in the progress of health conditions.

Expenditure

Under health Affairs and Services a total allocation of Rs 6484 million has been made in the
budget estimates 2009-10. This allocation is higher by 18% when compared with budget
estimates of 2008-09. Details are given in the following Table.

HEALTH AFFAIRS AND SERVICES

Budget Revised Budget

Classification 2008- 09 2008- 09 2009-10

HEALTH AFFAIRS AND SERVICES 5490 5490 6484

Medical Products, Appliances and Equipment 54 54 65

Hospital's Services 4892 4892 5708
Public Health Services 347 347 469
R & D Health 2 2 2
Health Administration 195 195 241

Health Programs In Pakistan

1. Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI)

The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) was launched in 1978. It aims at

protecting children by immunizing them against Childhood Tuberculosis, Poliomyelitis,
Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Tetanus and also their mothers against Tetanus. The
Program has significantly progressed during the period of time in terms of immunization
coverage and disease reduction and has developed its own surveillance system, cold
chain system, field supervisory mechanism, regular monitoring system, evaluation
strategy and sufficient trained manpower at all levels throughout the country. Federal
Ministry of health provides support to the program through PC1s, the first of which
developed for 1994-95 to 1998-99. The current PC1 is for the period 2004-2005 to 2008-
2009 with a total cost of Rs. 11.484 billion. This ensures the commitment of the Federal
 Government for provision of vaccines, syringes, cold chain equipment, transport, printed
material and launching of health education/motivation campaign.

2. National Program for Family Planning & Primary Health Care(LHW Program)

The Program aims to deliver basic health services at the doorsteps of the poor segments
of the society through deployment of Lady Health Workers (LHWs) living in their own
localities. The program is currently being implemented in all the districts of the country.
The program has strength of 96,000 LHWs nationwide with concentration in rural areas
and urban slums of the country. Each LHW covers 1000 population or 150 houses. These
workers are providing services to their communities in the field of child health, nutrition,
family planning and treatment of minor ailments. Population coverage of the program is
about 70%.

3. National Tuberculosis Control Program

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in Pakistan. The country ranks 6th
globally among the 22 high disease burden countries, and contributes 43% of the disease
burden towards the Eastern-Mediterranean region of WHO. Responding to the challenge,
the Government of Pakistan approved a PC-I covering the period 2005-2010 and has
allocated an amount of Rs. 1184 million. Besides, the Global Fund has approved an
amount of US$56 million to fill the funding gap.

4. National Malaria Control Program

The goal of the Program is to improve the health status of the population by effectively
controlling malaria through implementation of the Roll Back Malaria strategies. The five
year plan is a step towards achieving the WHO global RBM target of 50% reduction in
the malaria burden by the year 2010. Considerable progress has been made with regard to
involvement of NGOs, awareness and operational research. The Directorate of Malaria
Control was successful win a grant of over US$23 million in Round 7 of the Global Fund
(GFATM).

Statistics about Hospitals in Pakistan

Total Health Facilities 13,937

Hospitals 965
Dispensaries 4,916
Basic Health Units 4,872
Rural Health Centers 595
MCH Centers 1,138
TB Centers 371
First Aid Points: 1,080
Beds in hospitals & dispensaries 105,005
Population per bed 1,515
Population to health facility ratio 11,413
Statistics about Register Doctors and Nurses in Pakistan

Doctors 107,835
Doctors registered as specialists 19,623
Dentists 7446
Dental specialists 433
Nurses 43,646
Midwives 2,788
Lady Health Visitors 3,864
Lady Health Workers 95,000
Lady Health Supervisors 3,385
Population per doctor 1,475
Population per dentist 21,362
Population per nurse 3,644