Enhanced public and private sectors spending in healthcare system of the country is necessary to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This has been recommended by a book titled "Public Health Issues and Economic Challenges in Pakistan" written by Dr Fazli Hakeem Khattak, former principal and dean of School of Social Sciences and Humanities NUST and incumbent head of Department of Health Economics Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
This book basically designed for the postgraduate students of health economic has augmented current health sectoral and sub-sectoral strategies and plans in the country. It has also discussed the progress towards achieving SDGs, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and International Health Regulations (IHR) agenda in the country. It has discussed health diplomacy, ever increasing population, post 18th constitutional amendment scenario in health sector, health challenges and financial issues.
The professor has stressed the need for allocating more public funds on improving healthcare system with clear objective of making the country's human capital more effective to put the country on the path of getting seven percent GDP growth as per global standards which at present is less than one percent.
The author has pointed out that the country is facing a number of serious health issues including HIV AIDS, malaria, polio, cancer, and communal and non-communal diseases but due to financial constraints most of the people remain unable to get proper treatment.
Mass awareness is also needed to educate people on the health issues emerging from smoking, poor sanitation conditions and diseases emerging through other socio-economic behavioral conditions.
The book containing various chapters has discussed many health related challenges facing the country at present, past experiences and way forward.
To achieve 7 percent GDP growth the government must increase public spending on health with focusing targeted segments of the society; especially those don't have sufficient resources to spend on healthcare.
The book has talked about the present less spending on the health sector by the federal and provincial governments. The federal government in budget 2019-20 has earmarked just Rs 13 billion for the health sector out of Rs 7.02 trillion which is just 0.2 percent of the total budget, Punjab government allocated Rs 279 billion for heath, and KPK government allocated Rs 12.2 billion for health, The Sindh government allocated Rs 114.14 billion for the health sector while Balochistan government allocated Rs 34.18 billion for the health sector in the provincial budget.
It has pointed out projects on track in Pakistan to improve the health status of the people and reduce the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases with vertical programmes devolved in the provinces. By the year 2018, the number of public sector hospitals has increased to 1,279, basic health units (BHUs) improved to 5,527, rural health centers (RHCs) were increased to 686 and dispensaries to 5,671. These facilities together with 220,829 registered doctors, 22,595 registered dentists, and 108,474 registered nurses bring the current ratio of one doctor for 963 persons, 9,413 persons per dentist and availability of one hospital bed for 1,608 people during the corresponding period of the last year.
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