title: COST OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN PAKISTAN.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Detailed cost analysis is an important tool for review of health policy and reforms. We provide an estimate of cost of service and its detailed breakup on out-door patient visits (OPV) to basic health units (BHU) in Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six BHUs were randomly selected from each of the five districts in Khyber Pukhtonkhawa (KPK) and two agencies in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan for this study. Actual expenditure data and utilization data in the year 2005-06 of 42 BHUs was collected from selected district health offices in KPK and FATA. Costs were estimated for outpatient visits to BHUs. Perspective on cost estimates was district-based health planning and management of BHUs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average recurring cost was PKR.245 (USD 4.1) per OPV to BHU. Staff salaries constituted 90% of recurrent cost. On the average there were 16 OPV per day to the BHUs. CONCLUDION: Recurrent cost per OPV has doubled from the previous estimates of cost of OPV in Baluchistan. The estimated recurrent cost was six times higher than average consultation charges with the private general practitioner (GP) in the country (i.e., PKR 50/ GP consultation). Performance of majority of the BHUs was much lower than the performance target (50 patients per day) set in the sixth five-year plan of the government of Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan may use these analyses to revisit the performance target, staffinL and location of BHUs.
authors.forename: Muhammad Ashar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Wahid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gul
authors.forename: Saleem Perwaiz
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Farina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abrejo
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000639:trends*; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies