The brief examines pivotal health system reforms in Pakistan as of May 2023, focusing on the nationwide rollout of an evidence-informed Essential Package of Health Services at the primary healthcare (PHC) level to propel Universal Health Coverage, drawing from the Disease Control Priorities 3 framework for cost-effective prioritization of high-impact interventions. It tackles entrenched challenges like fragmented financing, workforce deficits, and inequities exacerbated by population density and disasters, through strategies, such as strategic purchasing, performance-based financing, digital medical records, and community-integrated PHC to curb maternal-child mortality, noncommunicable diseases, and infectious diseases amid calls for doubled public spending and health taxes.
