Mubashar Nadeem
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. WHO has been involved in various interventions in Pakistan to address the health challenges and needs of the population. Some of the interventions include responding to the cholera outbreak in 2022, which affected more than 10,000 people and caused over 200 deaths. WHO provided support to health authorities in Pakistan through advocacy and coordination, technical support for surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, data management and social mobilization, community engagement, and provision of essential medicines and supplies. The WHO is one of the most significant UN agencies working in Pakistan.
WHO is Strengthening primary health care (PHC) and health financing reforms in alignment with the Global Action Plan (GAP) for healthy lives and well-being for all. WHO collaborated with other partners such as the Global Fund, Gavi, GFF, UNICEF, the World Bank and UNDP to conduct a joint appraisal mission to identify the priorities and gaps in PHC and health financing in Pakistan. The mission also aimed to harmonize the financing, technical assistance and support from different partners to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). WHO is also accelerating the response to HIV through effective prevention, treatment, care and support services, especially for key populations such as people who inject drugs, transgender people, sex workers and their clients. WHO worked with UNAIDS, UNICEF and UNDP to provide training and support to community-based organizations delivering HIV services, such as HIV self-testing, clinical management of sexually transmitted infections, counselling and outreach support. WHO also supported the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) to develop national guidelines and policies on HIV testing, treatment and prevention.
Accordingly, Pakistani public departments and NGOs must work with WHO to meet the objectives of public health systems and facilities. It can be done by participating in the coordination mechanisms established by WHO, such as the health cluster, the cholera control cell, and the joint appraisal mission. These platforms can help to share information, identify needs and gaps, plan and implement interventions, monitor progress and evaluate outcomes. Furthermore, adopting and implementing the national guidelines and policies developed by WHO and NACP on various health issues, such as cholera prevention and control, PHC strengthening and health financing reforms, HIV testing, treatment, and prevention, are critical. These guidelines and policies can ensure the quality, equity and efficiency of health services.
Additionally, seeking technical assistance and support from the WHO on various aspects of the health system is significant, such as surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, data management, social mobilization, community engagement, and essential medicines and supplies. WHO can provide expertise, training, tools and resources to enhance the capacity of public departments and NGOs. Furthermore, it is also essential to mobilize resources from different sources to support the implementation of health interventions. WHO can facilitate access to funding opportunities from global partners such as the Global Fund, Gavi, GFF, UNICEF, the World Bank and UNDP. Public departments and NGOs can also leverage their own resources and networks to mobilize local resources.
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