Pakistan | Programme areas | Health policy and strategic planning

Health policy and strategic planning

Print PDF

Strategic planning in the context of the 18th Amendment and decentralization

The 18th Amendment to the Constitution has changed the landscape in health. While health has always been a provincial remit, the Federal Ministry of Health ceased to exist from 30 June 2011 and provincial departments of health have been given complete autonomy.

However, provincial departments of health are beset with numerous problems including structural fragmentation, resource scarcity, inefficiency, lack of functional specificity, gender insensitivity and inaccessibility.

To support devolution, WHO has developed a technical assistance plan entitled “From recovery to development: Establishing health planning and managerial capacities" based on the WHO health system approach model. This provides a comprehensive overview of the managerial aspects that need to be strengthened at provincial (and district) levels for strengthening and supporting the provincial health departments in better execution of their renewed role in health.

Health policy