The new Health Policy provides an overall national vision for the Health Sector based on “Health for All” approach. Under the new Health Policy, health sector investments are being viewed a part of the Government’s Poverty Alleviation Plan; priority attention has been accorded to the primary and secondary tiers of the health sector; and good governance is seen as the basis for health sector reforms to achieve quality health care.

The key to the success of the new Health Policy lies in its implementation. This is not an easy task but is by no means impossible. The new Health Policy has outlined implementation modalities and has set targets and a time frame for each of the key areas identified that would be implemented over a 10-year period. These have to be implemented in partnership between the federal Ministry of Health and the provincial Departments of Health, and in close collaboration with the district health set-up under the Local Government structure. The private health sector would also be taken on board while implementing the key policy initiatives...