RAWALPINDI: Pakistan has one doctor for every 6,325 persons, according to official statistics released to the Press here yesterday [Jan 26]. At the end of 1966, there were about 6,600 doctors in the country for a population of 105 million.

An official handout issued here said: “The ratio of doctors to the population in the principal cities in Pakistan is now better than the national ratio in certain cities of the developed countries of the world. In urban Pakistan the ratio now is 1,700 persons whereas, in one country considered one of the most advanced, the national ratio stands at 1,940.

“This commendable improvement has taken place within the last decade and medical authorities in Pakistan refer to this as a significant achievement in the medical field.”

In rural areas too, where the situation was particularly unsatisfactory until a few years ago, the doctor-population ratio has greatly improved.

At present, the annual output of doctors in Pakistan is over 1,000 from two medical colleges. This will go up to over 1,200 doctors when two more medical colleges will start functioning by 1970.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2018