By Bilal Mughal
In the world of globalization; when it is shifting from unipolarity to multipolarity. The population of Pakistan is still striving for the basic rights. The most deprived segement of society is women especially in health care sector. The sector which needs the most attention unfortunately is the most neglected one. After 18th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 the right to legistaltion related to health has been rendered to the provinces but non of the province gave a satisfactory response.
According to National Maternal and Child Health Indicator s, In kP the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is 275 while in Punjab it is 227. Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births attributable to pregnancy related causes. If we talk about Neonatal Morality Rate (NMR) out of 1000 newly born babies (Under 28 days of age) 41 dies in KP and 63 in Punjab. Even Pakistan failed to meet its Millennium Development Goal number 5 of lowering the neonatal mortality rate to 40, it being 55 per 1,000 live births by 2015. It also missed its target for maternal mortality rate.
The major causes of these issues are, lack of funding to the sector. No proper attention given by any political party to it because they think it is not as important issue as compare to their other agendas. Even ruling Government do not bother to allocate proper budget to the sector as allocation for health is Rs 62 billion (0.35% of GDP). According to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations it should be minimum 6% of GDP).
Progress on health indicator has been affected by a number of internal and external factors. There is absentese of the faculty, lack of supervison, corruption in mediacal and equipment is on peak. Another issue which needs to be addressed, privatization of the health sector. It is dealth as more like a business rather as a service of humanity. Quran very beautifully narrated “if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” – Quran 5:32. Pakistan is a Islamic religious country but it lacks the true spirit of Islam.
In addition too, culture is going another barrier to women, she is facing difficulties in houses and out side as well. Especially the women of FATA. There is no hospitals in South waziristan so they have to travel long to the urban cities; only lucky one get the chance otherwise mostly women are reluctant to step out of the home and they loss their lives which left unreported. Why they have to travel? Why government do not provide them proper services within the area? Why they are neglected from getting their fundamental rights.
Both Punjab and KP lacks a proper legislation for the women health. It is the uttest need of the time to give proper attention to the sector. As health is now subject of Provinces, it is there duty to formulate proper laws and policies. At the same time there is need of proper mechanism of check and balance. Also to allocate proper budget as recommended by the WHO. In a nutshell, take the health sector as important as the oxygen is important to human lives because it is about the future of the nation. Health Nation is a successful Nation.
The writer is an activist based in Islamabad.