Pakistan Health Security Financing Assessment 2021

Abstract

Health security has gained importance in the face of COVID-19. It has demanded a relook at the country’s preparedness and response capacities and the need for sustainable financing for health security. Addressing these issues has become more imperative when comprehended in the context of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) which promises equity in health without financial hardships. The Joint External Evaluation (JEE) was the result of the extended commitment from development partners to respond to public health risks. The strategic actions of the World Bank and WHO were soon translated into assessments and plans. The JEE translated into the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) in Pakistan. The World Bank developed the Health Security Financing Assessment Tool (HSFAT) to complement JEE and NAPHS. The purpose of HSFAT was to support national governments to develop financing strategies that link to prioritized national action plans for health security and enable countries to develop a strong and sustainable financing system. The report is divided into four sections. The following section discusses the methodology of the assessment. The results of the qualitative and quantitative assessments are discussed in Section 3. Section 4 covers the findings and recommendations.