ISLAMABAD: Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, almost all health indicators improved in the last one year, according to the Economic Survey.

Health and well-being are central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 3 is to “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. ‘No one should be left behind’ slogan entails to reduce health inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and of humanity as a whole.

Data from the Pakistan Economic Survey showed that the country was moving in the right direction as most of the indicators improved in the last one year.

It showed that in 2019 maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 births) was 189 but in 2020 it reduced to 186. The neonatal mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) reduced from 41.2 to 40.4.

Similarly, the infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) reduced from 55.7 to 54.2, under-five mortality rate (per 1,000) was 67.3 in 2019 which reduced to 65.2 in one year.

While Pakistan is ranked fifth in terms of most number of cases of tuberculosis (incidence of the disease per 100,000 people), it decreased from 263 to 259. Life expectancy also increased a little from 67.3 to 67.4 years.

Births attended by skilled health staff was 68pc in 2015 and increased to 69.3pc in 2018.

However, there was no change in the incidents of HIV as it was 0.12 (per 1,000 uninfected population) during both the years.

On the other hand, contraceptive prevalence, any method, (percentage of women aged 15-49 years) reduced from 34pc to 33pc during the period.

Published in Dawn,June 10th, 2022