The World Bank recently published an article titled “Cultivating Champions: Strengthening Health Financing Reform Capacity in Pakistan,” focusing on efforts to address healthcare financing challenges in the country.
With approximately 11 million Pakistanis at risk of impoverishment due to healthcare costs in 2024, the article explores how Pakistan’s provincial health financing processes remain largely non-strategic, despite health sector devolution over a decade ago. Through a series of workshops conducted over eight months, mid-level managers from Pakistan’s health and finance sectors gained practical skills aimed at improving budgeting and resource allocation for primary healthcare.
The article provides insights from participants, including health and finance specialists from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who discuss the potential for enhanced budget prioritisation and revenue generation. The initiative aims to build a network of trained health sector advocates who can contribute to more efficient healthcare spending and reduced out-of-pocket costs for citizens.
