Blood safety system reforms in Pakistan.

Abstract

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world with a population of 180 million1. Literacy rate is 49.5% and the population growth rate is 2.03%. Urdu is the national language but English is also widely spoken and understood. Islamabad is the federal capital and the total country area is 796,095 km2. The health care system in Pakistan faces numerous challenges and operates through a three-tier delivery structure and a variety of public health interventions. The role of private sector is growing and according to an estimate its share has reached 75%2. The overall health regulatory framework is weak and inadequate3. The total expenditure on health is 2.5 % of the GDP4. Following the implementation of the 18th amendment of the constitution in June 2011, all the functions related to health were devolved to the provincial/state health departments5. The public health system is deficient in terms of human and physical infrastructure to match the needs of the growing population and the challenges faced by natural and man-made disasters including terrorism occurring with increasing frequency in the recent past.

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