The latest Economic Survey of Pakistan for 2023-24 reports an increase in the country’s life expectancy from 65.7 years in 2015 to 67.3 years in 2022. This improvement is attributed to government initiatives such as programs to eliminate hepatitis, control diabetes, and expand the national immunization drive.
Despite these gains, Pakistan’s life expectancy of 67.3 years still falls short of the South Asian regional average of 71.6 years by 4.3 years. The survey highlights progress in key healthcare indicators between 2015 and 2022, noting that child stunting has decreased from 41.4% to 34%, and DPT immunization coverage for children aged 12-23 months has risen from 72% to 85%.
However, the report acknowledges that Pakistan’s health expenditure, currently at just 1% of GDP, is significantly lower than the South Asian average of 3.1%. This low investment is evident in the country’s relatively high maternal mortality rate of 138 per 100,000 live births and an infant mortality rate of 30.8 per 1,000 live births in 2021.
The survey underscores the need for greater allocation of GDP towards public health expenditure to achieve universal health coverage. It also notes a 5.9% increase in the number of registered doctors and an 8.7% increase in registered dentists between 2022 and 2023, reflecting efforts to strengthen the healthcare workforce.
Despite recognizing the low budgetary allocations to the health sector, the report suggests there are positive signs that this allocation may increase over time, indicating a potential for greater investment in the healthcare system. The survey emphasizes the critical need for the government to significantly boost public health expenditures to improve overall health outcomes and achieve universal health coverage.
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