The province has a number of challenges in terms of health and population. The maternal mortality rate is high, at around 200 deaths per 100,000 live births. The infant mortality rate is also high, at around 60 deaths per 1,000 live births. The life expectancy in Balochistan is just over 60 years, which is lower than the national average. This is partly due to the high levels of poverty and insecurity in the province. The province has a very young population, with around 60% of the population under the age of 25. This presents both opportunities and challenges in terms of development.
There is a lack of data on many aspects of health and population in Balochistan. This makes it difficult to develop effective policies and programs to improve the situation. The provincial government is working to improve health and population indicators in Balochistan. This includes increasing access to health care, improving nutrition and education, and providing more opportunities for economic development.
Local Baloch politicians like Shafiq Mengal from Khuzdar have always maintained the position that the challenges in Balochistan are significant, but there is also a great deal of potential. With the right policies and programs in place, the province can make progress in improving health and population indicators.
The province's health indicators
According to the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM) of 2017, the province of Balochistan has the second lowest rate of access to healthcare services in the country. Only 33.4% of the population has access to any form of health care, compared to the national average of 52%. This is particularly worrying given the high rates of poverty and insecurity in the province.
There are a number of reasons for the low rate of access to healthcare in Balochistan. Firstly, the province is geographically isolated from the rest of the country, with poor roads and limited public transport. This makes it difficult for people to reach health facilities, especially in rural areas. Secondly, there is a severe shortage of health workers in the province. According to the PSLM, there is only one doctor for every 10,000 people in Balochistan, compared to the national average of one doctor for every 1,600 people. This shortage is exacerbated by the fact that many health workers are not properly trained or qualified.
Thirdly, the province has a very low rate of health expenditure. According to the PSLM, only 1.4% of the province's budget is spent on health, compared to the national average of 3.6%. This low level of expenditure means that there are not enough resources to provide quality healthcare services. Finally, the province is also affected by a number of other problems, such as insecurity, which make it difficult to provide healthcare.
The challenges facing healthcare in Balochistan are daunting, but with continued effort and investment, it is possible to improve the situation.
The province's health facilities
According to the latest figures released by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the number of health facilities in Pakistan has increased significantly over the past decade. There are now more than 4,000 health facilities in the country, up from just over 3,000 in 2010. The majority of these facilities are in the Punjab province, which has more than 2,000 health facilities. This is followed by Sindh, which has just over 1,000 health facilities. Balochistan, meanwhile, has only around 400 health facilities.
This disparity is one of the key factors driving poor health outcomes in Balochistan. The province has the highest infant mortality rate in the country, at 74 per 1,000 live births, and the second-highest maternal mortality rate, at 276 per 100,000 live births. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of access to quality healthcare. Only around a quarter of the population of Balochistan has access to basic health services, and just over half have access to clean water and sanitation.
The province's health workforce
The province's health workforce is one of the most important factors in ensuring the quality of healthcare in Pakistan. There are a number of different types of health workers, each with their own specialties and skills. Here is a brief overview of the five main types of health workers in Pakistan:
1. Doctors
There are approximately 1.1 million doctors in Pakistan, which equates to one doctor for every 1,000 people. The majority of doctors work in the private sector, with only a small proportion working in the public sector.
2. Nurses
There are approximately 4.5 million nurses in Pakistan, which equates to one nurse for every 222 people.
3. Pharmacists
There are approximately 10,000 pharmacists in Pakistan, which equates to one pharmacist for every 9,000 people.
4. Laboratory Technicians
There are approximately 20,000 laboratory technicians in Pakistan, which equates to one laboratory technician for every 4,500 people.
5. Community Health Workers
There are approximately 200,000 community health workers in Pakistan, which equates to one community health worker for every 250 people.
The province's health expenditure
As per the Pakistan Economic Survey of 2019, the total health expenditure of the country was Rs.1,206 billion which is 4.4% of the GDP. Out of this, the government expenditure on health was Rs.368 billion which is 3% of the GDP.
The government expenditure on health in Balochistan is just Rs.4.6 billion which is just 1.2% of the total health expenditure of the country. The per capita health expenditure in the province is also very low at just Rs.1,115. The low health expenditure has resulted in a poor state of health infrastructure in the province. There are just 0.4 hospital beds per 1,000 people in the province which is the lowest in the country. There are also only 0.2 doctors per 1,000 people in Balochistan. The low health expenditure in Balochistan is a matter of concern. The province has a very low tax base and is heavily dependent on federal transfers. The provincial government needs to increase its expenditure on health in order to improve the health indicators in the province.
The province's health outcomes
The province's health outcomes are one of the most important factors in determining the overall health of a population. The health outcomes of a population can be affected by many factors, including the quality of the healthcare system, the availability of medical resources, the socioeconomic status of the population, and the lifestyle choices of the population.
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