Even in
the wealthiest parts of the world, countries have been under pressure to keep
their health systems well-organized and prepared to maintain essential health
services for everyone as COVID-19 rages on.
While
Pakistan has demonstrated a strong resolve to deliver on the promise of health
for all through universal health coverage (UHC), the country’s health system is
under immense strain from COVID-19.
Reinstating
essential health services for its whole population is one of Government’s most
urgent challenges. Many services for illnesses that are unrelated to COVID-19
have stopped, with multiple primary health care services on hold. Community
health workers, vaccinators, midwives and family welfare assistants are unable
to perform outreach services. The pandemic is limiting women’s access to
life-saving maternal and newborn health services. Lockdowns and travel
restrictions disrupt regular supply chains of essential medicines and health
products, and creates a gap in the stock of essential vaccines, leading to the
disruption of immunization services. This results in another major threat:
future outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, a fear that is generating
global concern.
Strengthening primary health care
Pakistan,
with support from WHO, is working to strengthen basic primary health care. This
will help ensure that the population receives the services they need during the
pandemic, as close as possible to the communities in which they live.
Ultimately, it will contribute to progress towards achieving UHC. This builds
on WHO’s earlier assistance to expand primary health care and engage citizens
in health policy dialogue. Over the last two years, this effort has gained
momentum through UHC Partnership, with funding from the European Union, the
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, the Government of Japan, the French
Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the UK Department for International
Development and Belgium.
As part
of the overall WHO response to COVID-19, the UHC Partnership, along with a host
of partners such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and
AIDS (UNAIDS), World Bank and the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), have collaborated to prepare an action plan to support the
Government in ensuring the continuity of essential diagnostic, treatment and
prevention services during the COVID-19 response, while protecting the safety
and wellbeing of the health workforce and patients. The plan draws upon the
latest WHO operational guidance for maintaining essential health services
during the COVID-19 outbreak and has become a significant pillar of Pakistan’s
COVID-19 Preparedness and Response plan.
WHO
also supported the development of the National Health Vision 2025 and provincial
health sector strategies and plans.
Reaching communities
WHO and
UNICEF have worked jointly to revitalize Pakistan’s pioneering community health
worker programme, the ‘Lady Health Workers’. The process, which originated in
1994, created a new cadre of female health workers in the Pakistan health
system to address unmet health needs of rural populations and informal
settlers.
Meanwhile,
in 12 districts across the country, WHO is also helping the Government to
implement the Family Practice programme. The approach increases households’
access to health care through family practice teams led by a family physician.
By working in communities, these groups of health care providers have the best
knowledge of the health and life conditions of families, and can therefore
support them more effectively with preventive interventions.
To
further reach communities, WHO, through the UHC Partnership is also supporting
a range of other projects such as risk communication and community engagement
as part of the national response to COVID-19.
Credit
:WHO