Pakistan

The health care system in Pakistan has been confronted with problems of inequity, scarcity of resources, inefficient and untrained human resources, gender insensitivity and structural mismanagement. With the precarious health status of the people and poor indicators of health in the region, health care reforms were finally launched by the government in 2001. There are, however, numerous challenges and constraints in the system. The future health of the nation depends on this decentralization initiative. All our efforts should be concerted to support and facilitate the new system, which will mature into institutionalization of the health services at the district level.

Programs and services need to be sensitively designed to facilitate women’s access to physical and social needs. This paper narrates the experience of working with health providers from public and private sectors, community, local government representatives and community-based organizations. Through transformative learning, this endeavour focused on initiating a process of sensitization on gender related health issues for women. [from abstract]

This presentation is from PSP-One’s GHC Expert Panel— Expanding Health Service Access, Quality, and Equity in Developing Countries: The Role of the Private Sector. It presents franchise models for delivering family planning and reproductive health services by the private sector. The presentation slides, video of the seminar, and transcript of the resulting discussion are available.

This article describes an intervention for training traditional birth attendants and integrating them into an improved health care system, which was proven to be achievable and effective in reducing perinatal mortality. This model could result in large improvements in perinatal and maternal health in developing countries. [adapted from abstract]

Typically, provider–client interactions are brief, and providers often behave condescendingly toward clients. As a result, clients are unable to express their concerns or describe the limitations they face in trying to implement the providers’ suggested course of action. A training intervention was developed for providers that focused on addressing the problems inherent in this dynamic. This research was undertaken to assess whether providers in the experimental area delivered services in a different manner than they had prior to the training intervention. [adapted from author]

This IUD assessment tool provides performance standards for IUD provision based on type of visit-new client or revisit. It may be used as part of a programmatic performance improvement initiative, by the site or individual providers to self-assess or by external evaluators to assess achievement of the standards. Often, performance standards are used to affect change at multiple sites. [author’s description]

This workshop report provides an analysis of the problems and opportunities of the rapid private sector growth occurring in many countries, and presents case study materials from Pakistan, India, Uganda and Cambodia. [publisher’s description]

Although numerous health care interventions have been implemented in Pakistan, the high maternal and neonatal mortality rates still remain a challenge. Developed countries have reduced maternal and neonatal mortality rates by improving the skill and knowledge levels of nurse-midwives. This paper reviews maternal and neonatal health issues, challenges in current midwifery education, and the role of government and international agencies in Pakistan. [from abstract]

This presentation discusses the midwifery gap in Pakistan and the strategies they are using to address it.

Women health workers have been vital in improving the health of women and children in Pakistan. Inspired by its neighbor’s experience, Afghanistan is embarking on a similar program to encourage women to work in the health sector. [author’s description]

Ongoing violence and several natural disasters have taken their toll on mental health in Pakistan. But a shortage of mental-health professionals and lack of access to psychological services means the needs of the Pakistani population are not being met. [adapted from author]