By Jawaid Ali
The launching ceremony of the book “Choked Pipes – Reforming Pakistan’s Mixed Health System’” by Dr. Sania Nishtar was held recently at a hotel in Islamabad in which a large number of participants including retired bureaucrats, stakeholders, policymaker, diplomats and the editors of both print and electronic media actively participated.
Speaking on the occasion, Sartaj Aziz, Former Minister for Finance informed that Dr. Sania Nishtar’s pointed out the need for over arching mechanism that can ensure that federal, provincial and district allocation should directly contribute towards attainment of national objectives in the health sector.
He said that the book “Choked Pipes” presents a very useful list of health initiatives and a reform agenda, which can set the goal and strategies to achieve the MGDs. The global concern and favour of transformation from focus on different diseases to the health system as a whole has to be fully integrated into health planning and health implementation in Pakistan.
This is a valuable handbook in making toward and how to achieve MGD and how to achieve transformation toward the health system.
Ejaz Raheem, Former Minister of Health termed Dr. Sania Nishtar as the foremost scholar and thinker in the public health sector and allied related issues to the sector of Pakistan. Her scholarship reflect both courage and conviction as well as the pain staking ability to martial evidence and have the capability of scaling up the global horizon at the same time keeping her feet firmly on the home ground.
He further added that “Choked Pipes” is resounding proof of her significant contribution to the public health debate in Pakistan. This is the book of biding values which have 3 dimension i.e. analysis, synthesis and action of the agenda.
This book correctly differentiates Health System and Healthcare System. It references the burning issues of the health sector including governance, financing and service delivery.
He also believed that in future, if the social sector vision has to come about Ministry of Health have to change its role from direct service delivery to partnering in policy formulation at in measuring the outcome of the implementation of the policy.
Dr. Ishrat Husain, Former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan on the occasion lauded the efforts of Dr. Sania Nishtar and Oxford University Press for initiating the literature of Pakistan studies on various dimension.
The main virtue of ‘Choked Pipes’ lies in its clear understanding of the boundaries, purposes, and functions of health systems. It provides a coherent framework for discussing the evolution of the Pakistani health system since its inception, its previous reform efforts, and its present configuration, as well as for presenting a comprehensive reform agenda.
He said that her basic argument is that the approach in Pakistan and in other developing countries should focus more from diseases control to a system wide approach.
The health system reform is extremely important but it has to be contextualized. The public policy intervention should be broad based rather than focusing on one delivery system.
He said that her proposition is that the objective of good healthcare system should be access equality and quality.
Dr. Khalif Bile Mohamud, WHO Country Representative, National Institute of Health Islamabad sharing his views said that the book “Choked Pipes” is the first review of Pakistan’s health system, and the first consolidated reform agenda ever developed for developing countries with mixed health systems. It represents the vast and diverse area raging from maternal and child health to the control of diseases. It clearly underlines what the health stands for.
He further informed that in the book, Dr. Sania Nishtar has tried to cover many bases with one publication. On the one hand, the book is relevant to Pakistan’s macro-economically constrained environment as it chalks out a road map for addressing systemic constraints in the healthcare system and hence enhancing efficiencies. On the other hand, the book is also of relevance to other developing countries.
This book will help us to improve the health system of our country. Dr. Sania is offering health solution through a beautiful and effectiveable book.
Ameena Syed, Managing Director, Oxford University Press complimented Dr. Sania Nishtar by saying that the author provide the first consolidated review of Pakistan health system whereas it has a let forward a road map for much needed health reforming Pakistan.
He further added that the deficiencies of health services delivery system, imperfect access to essential medicine and deficiencies in the law pertain to the regulation and distribution of healthcare essentials.
Earlier, Dr. Sania Nishtar offered vote of thanks