Health-care delivery system and reimbursement policies in Pakistan.

Today, Pakistan stands as the sixth most populous country in the world with a projected population of around 162 million people [1]. Around one-third of these people live below poverty level. There are four provinces that are further divided into districts that make up the local government. With the current devolution of power plan, the district governments have been given funds to manage community health programs [1–6]. Pakistan is seeing an epidemiological transition; traditionally thought to be an agricultural country, it is now in the phase of industrialization. Previously, the main burden of disease was the communicable diseases (49%) but now, the noncommunicable diseases (41%) are predicted to overtake the former [7]. This puts Pakistan in a unique predicament, where the underprivileged strata of the society suffer from both in alarming proportions. This makes health-care planning and delivery a complex task [8]. The national action program for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases has been set forth to tackle this menace [9,10].