INTEGRATING DIGITAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE PRIMARY HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN PAKISTAN
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Abstract
Pakistan’s primary healthcare (PHC) system faces persistent constraints including workforce shortages, fragmented health information flows, geographic inequities, and limited continuity of care. Digital health technologies—telemedicine, electronic medical records, decision-support tools, digital registries, and interoperable health information systems— offer practical pathways to strengthen PHC coverage and quality. National policy momentum, including Pakistan’s Telemedicine Policy (2021) and the National Digital Health Framework (2022–2030), signals a shift toward standardized governance, data exchange, and scalable digital service delivery. This article proposes an integrated PHC-focused digital health model for Pakistan, detailing priority usecases, implementation enablers, and safeguards for equity, privacy, and clinical quality. The paper argues that success depends on interoperability, workforce readiness, and sustainable financing aligned with provincial health reforms.
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