Govt takes innovative steps to improve health delivery system

By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD: The present government had tried its level best to improve the health of all citizens, particularly women and children by providing universal access to affordable, quality, essential health services.
According to available official document, during its three year tenure the government had made several efforts to improve healthcare delivery system with focus on having a resilient and responsive health system, capable of attaining the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling its other global health responsibilities.
The vision was described in the National Action Plan (2019-23) and the same was aligned with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) manifesto to ensure universal health coverage and enhancing the focus on primary health care while upgrading secondary and tertiary facilities. The government had also taken sincere steps to reduce the population growth rate for the health of mothers, children and families and the prosperity of Pakistan by reducing the impending burden on its resources.
As per National Action Plan- 2019-23 several innovative steps were taken to improve governance in health sector and institutions, to implement adequate health financing strategies to reduce catastrophic health expenditures especially on the poor, to addressing access to essential health services to all, to tackling crises in human resources for health, to ensuring quality of care in health services, to prioritize and focus on determinants of health, to build capacities for international health regulations and to harness research and innovations.
A National Health Task Force was formed for reviewing key strategic priorities and functions besides Pakistan Health and Population Strategic Forum for effective coordination on strategic issues.