ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: The government has conceded that more than 64 per cent people in the country are dissatisfied with the standard of basic health services and over 40 per cent have a negative perception about schooling.

This is revealed in the Annual Progress Report for 2005-06 released last week by the finance ministry as part of its poverty reduction strategy.

The report also contained public perception about family planning, veterinary hospitals, agriculture and police, but its full findings were withheld due to a very bleak picture perceived by the general public about the state of governance in the country, sources told Dawn on Sunday.

The report revealed depressing figures relating to the participation of women in local council meetings and their access to development budgets, they said.

The figures are basically extracted from the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement survey of 2004-05 that had been kept secret for over 18 months. And now, a few aspects of this survey have been made part of the Annual Progress Report.

The reason why the public perception about schooling facilities in the country remained on the positive side may be linked to the fact that the respondents also talked about private schools.

The level of satisfaction regarding the basic health services is more or less same in all the provinces except the NWFP, where it is relatively higher i.e. 52 per cent, says the finance ministry’s report, adding the level of satisfaction in rural areas regarding basic health units is higher than in urban areas.

The data suggest that in urban areas, more than 70 per cent people are dissatisfied with the facilities of health and 34 per cent with those of schooling. And in rural areas, more than 59 per cent people are unhappy with the health facilities and 55 per cent people were satisfied with schooling services.

The highest level of satisfaction from schooling, at 67 per cent, is found in the NWFP while the lowest level in Balochistan, at 48 per cent. The survey does not cover AJK, Fata and Fana. The survey is based on a scientifically-prepared questionnaire approved by the government in consultation with international institutions covering about 77,000 households.

The data suggest that about 70 per cent people in Punjab are dissatisfied with the basic health facilities while 63 per cent are satisfied with schools.

In Sindh, more than 63 per cent and 45 per cent people are disappointed with health and schooling respectively.

In the NWFP, about 52 per cent and 67.3 per cent people are satisfied respectively with the quality of health and schooling services.

In Balochistan, more than 63 per cent and 52 per cent respondents are disgruntled about the health and schooling services.