ISLAMABAD: Good governance forum for health has proposed setting up of a national coordination committee to address core health-related issues.

It will contribute to formulation of an evidence-based policy on health and assist provinces in translating policies into strategies.

It may be noted that under Vision 2025, good governance forums have been established on the directions of the prime minister in different sectors such as health and environment.

The forums have been instructed to formulate short, medium and long-term solutions to problems faced by different sectors.

Steps would be taken to remove deficiencies in areas identified by the forums.

A Planning Commission official, requesting not to be identified, said a concept paper prepared by the health forum had been received.

“Unfortunately, a number of exercises were done in the past but successive governments never took the suggestions seriously. It is feared that once again efforts of the good governance forums will go to vain because politicians hardly get time to look at issues minutely,” he said.

The reference paper said health was a critical development priority, and health policy objectives can be defined by a number of competing priorities, emerging crises and fiscal and institutional constraints.

Without an appropriate mechanism, it is not possible to pursue health objectives with optimal results.

It said after the 18th Amendment, health has become a provincial subject while provincial health departments have been decentralised to districts. Over the long term, centralisation at the national level has weakened where hardly any decision is being made. This has discouraged rapid responses to local issues.

When contacted, Professor Javed Akram, the focal person for the good governance forum for health, confirmed that the concept paper had been sent to the Planning Commission.In reply to a question, Dr Akram said in the past suggestions given by different forums were ignored but he was hopeful that this time recommendations would be implemented.

“There is a need to spend more on prevention of diseases instead of treatment. Moreover, problems have increased because of devolution of health sector,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2014