Human Resource for Health Vision to be unveiled today

Islamabad: With an essential skilled health professional density of 1.4 per 1,000 population—way below the minimum threshold of 4.45 physicians, nurses and midwives per 1,000 population necessary to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Pakistan has one of the lowest densities of health workers at the regional and global levels.

Recognising the value of adequate and well-performing health workers for effective functioning of health systems, the Ministry of National Health Sevices, in consultation with the provincial departments of Health and other stakeholders, has developed Human Resource for Health Vision 2018-30, which will be unveiled at a ceremony here today (Wednesday).

The document provides guidance for deployment of strategic measures and suggests linkages along with scope of work for the national and provincial health systems, thus allowing all to plan their own agendas, albeit with some principles and strategic choices that are common and mutually agreed upon.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health has highlighted how, through an effective and efficient health workforce, Pakistan aims to implement the agenda of right to health wellbeing, coupled with economic and social development.

“Human resources for health underpins the health goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as health systems can only function with a health workforce fully geared towards meeting contemporary challenges. Human Resources for Health is not only a specific SDG3 target (SDG3c) but is vital in achieving UHC. The contribution of health workers thus needs to be seen in a wider context of its role in the larger economy of the country than merely achieving SDG3,” the press release adds.

One of the major actions under the National Health Vision 2016-2025, which provides a unified health vision for UHC, especially for women and children, is the formulation of Pakistan's Human Resources for Health vision.