Report on Priority Setting and Development of the Pakistan Universal Health Coverage Essential Package of Health Services

 

The report presents an overview of the collaborative efforts that began in 2018 between the Pakistan Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MNHSRC) and the Diseases Control Priorities 3 (DCP3) Country Translation project, hosted at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The main objective of this collaboration was to support Pakistan’s UHC reforms and provide technical backup in developing an evidence-informed essential package of health services (EPHS). Pakistan became the first country to formally adopt the DCP3 evidence, concept, and model packages in shaping its UHC package. This strategic undertaking, geared towards enhancing equitable access to essential healthcare services and financial risk protection, aligns with Pakistan’s health vision and its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This report, which has been prepared based on a series of MNHSRC publications, offers a comprehensive insight into the efforts undertaken by the Ministry and partners throughout the package design process. The development of the federal package has supported health system reforms across provinces, culminating in the development of six provincial/area packages in 2021. Implementation of these packages will strengthen Pakistan’s health system and accelerate progress towards UHC.