Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Access to Northern Hea...

The northern regions of Pakistan face severe challenges in accessing decent healthcare facilities. Inhabitants of these districts must also survive against unpredictable natural disasters. Unfortunately, challenges like poor healthcare infrastructure and a scarcity of professional medical experts pose an additional burden on the locals.  According to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (2012–2013), only 53% of women in Gilgit Baltistan deliver their children in a health facility. Other noteworthy statistics from Pakistan Maternal Mortality Survey 2020 reveal a maternal mortality rate of 104 per 100,000 live births and an infant mortality rate of 47 per 1,000 live births in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. 

Another study was conducted in 2021, in Hunza village, involving 425 people, found that one in three had high blood pressure, illustrating the severity of the healthcare crisis in northern regions.

These findings highlight significant gaps in healthcare provision in remote areas and demand urgent action at both government and local levels. With a few essential initiatives, ensuring access to basic healthcare facilities, especially in remote areas, is possible. 

Let’s examine the current healthcare crisis in the northern region, understand the barriers, and highlight effective measures in this post. Keep reading!

Understanding the Unique Challenges of Northern Healthcare

Multiple factors are responsible for healthcare dilemmas in northern communities, from geographical isolation and poor infrastructure to unfavorable weather conditions. Here is a brief overview: 

1. Geographic Isolation and Harsh Climate

Northern regions are located at a considerable distance from urban centers. This geographic isolation is a significant barrier to healthcare access. Residents have no choice but to travel long distances to reach urban medical clinics. For instance, people living in Shangla have to travel to Swat, which is at a distance of 70 kilometers and requires 3-4 hours of travel, for basic medical facilities. Likewise, people visit Skardu from Ghanche which is 150 kilometers away from the major town. 

Geographic isolation also results in lack of essential machinery like CT scan, incubators, ventilators, etc. Before 2009, even the hospitals of Chilas, Gilgit, and Skardu were deprived of these medical facilities when the authorities of the health  department announced launching emergency ambulances in these areas, according to Dawn. 

Not only is this, but harsh weather conditions like heavy snowfall, extreme cold, and seasonal storms also exacerbate the problem beyond distance.

2. Scarcity of Healthcare Infrastructure

Another significant barrier is the paucity of healthcare clinics in remote areas. It necessitates that individuals travel considerable distances (around 225 - 370 miles that takes 8-15 hours by road) to access urban medical services, significantly driving up travel and treatment costs.  Although a few clinics exist, they often lack essential facilities such as operation theaters, trained nursing staff, diagnostic tools, well-equipped laboratories, and specialized services. The limited resources are insufficient to address the entire region's healthcare demands, which is why many individuals are left untreated. 

3. Workforce Shortage

Recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals in northern regions is a persistent challenge. Many professionals show reluctance to work in rural areas due to harsh living conditions, professional isolation, and limited career advancement opportunities. To add to the woes, low wages in northern clinics cause employee dissatisfaction, exacerbating turnover rates. All these factors result in a shortage of qualified doctors, nurses, and specialists. Moreover, high turnover rates cause inconsistencies in care and a lack of continuity in treatment procedures.

Effective Strategies for Expanding Access to Northern Healthcare Facilities

Enhancing healthcare in northern areas requires a comprehensive strategic plan. Some key strategies include leveraging telemedicine, deploying mobile clinics,  fostering community engagement, etc. 

Here is a brief overview:

1. Telemedicine Technology 

One effective way to overcome geographic isolation is to implement telemedicine technology. By leveraging digital technologies such as video conferencing, electronic medical records, and remote monitoring tools, telemedicine aids in delivering essential healthcare services to northern regions. These technologies enable healthcare professionals to consult, diagnose, and treat patients remotely, bridging the gap between patients and medical experts. Consequently, healthcare facilities become accessible to everyone, regardless of location.

2. Transportation Infrastructure

The poor transportation infrastructure of the northern regions also requires prime attention as it hinders access to healthcare facilities. Improving transportation and logistics is essential for enhancing physical access to healthcare services. It involves transforming the road networks, offering subsidized transportation options, establishing air ambulance services for emergencies, etc. However, the objective requires a decent budget and can only be achieved through a smooth collaboration among local governments, private companies, and community organizations.

3.  Mobile Clinics

Arranging mobile clinics is also an effective approach to enhancing healthcare access in areas with rugged terrain, such as rocky surfaces, steep hills, and other natural challenges. Mobile medical clinics are medical setups in vehicles like trucks, containers, and vans. They are equipped with the tools required to provide basic healthcare facilities. 

Recently, Pakistan Army established a mobile health unit in North Waziristan that offers free, high-quality healthcare to the locals. These mobile units are crucial in flood-hit areas where people become confined to one place and traveling is impossible. Additionally, they offer significant benefits to people with disabilities as well as age-old people, for whom travelling is a challenge as they require specialized transportation.  

4- Community Engagement and Culturally Competent Care 

Culturally competent care is fundamental for building trust and delivering effective healthcare services in northern regions. Remote communities have specific cultural practices, languages, and health beliefs. To build rapport with these communities, healthcare providers should receive training in cultural competence so that understanding and respecting these differences becomes easier. Moreover, considering the opinion of local residents is also crucial when planning and delivering healthcare services. Collaboration with local communities and incorporating their feedback enhances patient satisfaction and ensures effectiveness of healthcare initiatives. 

Support Northern Pakistan’s Healthcare with a Helping Hand

People in the northern region face significant challenges accessing medical facilities due to substantial barriers like geographic isolation, poor infrastructure, harsh climatic conditions, and a lack of adequate healthcare facilities. Addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts to achieve a common goal of improving healthcare services in northern regions. 

SHINE Humanity has initiated multiple healthcare programs specifically for northern communities. The Sehat Center in Reerh Gala,  Mansehra is a prime example of our social welfare efforts, which is a venture of Health for all Collective. We are working as an active partner of this initiative and successfully managing the clinic. It delivers high-quality outpatient care, extensive lab services, and free medications, ensuring exceptional support for all our beneficiaries.

We are committed to delivering exceptional yet affordable healthcare services to underserved communities and need your support in this crucial endeavor. Let’s join hands to save millions of lives.  Donate now and make a difference!