Balochistan’s journey towards better healthcare

In Balochistan, the distance between a patient and a hospital can be measured not merely in kilometres, but in chances of survival. A pregnant woman waiting for emergency care, a child missing a vaccine, or a patient needing specialist treatment may find that geography itself has become a barrier to healthcare. In a province where communities are scattered across an enormous landscape, healthcare is not simply a question of building hospitals; it is about ensuring that those hospitals can actually reach the people who need them. Encouragingly, the reform agenda is also moving towards strengthening healthcare at the district level. In September 2026, the Government of Balochistan and Aga Khan University launched a 36-month Essential Package of Health Services Implementation Project, with support from the Gates Foundation and other health partners. The initiative aims to strengthen essential services and improve health outcomes for mothers, newborns, infants, and children across the province. Such efforts suggest that the conversation is gradually shifting from simply constructing facilities towards improving how healthcare is actually delivered.