LAHORE : The National Health Support Program (NHSP), Punjab, presented progress on healthcare workforce development, digital learning, integrated referral services and newborn care during the 8th World Bank Implementation Support Mission (IMS), highlighting interventions aimed at strengthening primary healthcare and improving the continuity and quality of essential health services across the province.
Dr Sherin Varkey, Regional Practice Manager (Health) for the World Bank’s MENA-AP Region, who spearheaded the mission, appreciated the Punjab government’s health reform agenda and progress in strengthening primary healthcare services. He acknowledged Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision in setting the strategic direction for health sector reforms, Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir’s leadership in advancing these priorities, and the institutional leadership and oversight of Health & Population Department Secretary Ms Nadia Saquib.
Dr Varkey also commended the Health & Population Department team for translating the government’s reform vision into practical interventions and the NHSP Punjab Project Management Unit (PMU) for providing technical support to advance the reforms. He noted that these collective efforts were helping extend the benefits of improved primary healthcare services to communities at the grassroots level.
The progress review meeting was jointly chaired by the World Bank (Task Team Leader & Senior Health Economist ) Jahanzaib Sohail and Additional Secretary (Admn.)/Program Director, NHSP, Punjab, Muhammad Ashraf. Representatives of the World Bank, the Health & Population Department, Government of Punjab, and aligned development partners participated in the meeting to review implementation progress and discuss key health-sector reforms.
During the meeting, Capt. (Retd.) Dr Usman Ali Khan briefed the mission on the programme’s support to the Health & Population Department and progress on key interventions. A major area of discussion was competency-based training for healthcare providers, which aims to strengthen practical skills and improve the delivery of essential health services. The approach focuses on job-specific competencies and the application of knowledge and skills in clinical settings.
The mission was also briefed on the development of a Learning Management System to facilitate digital training for healthcare providers. The proposed system is intended to expand access to structured learning resources, support professional development and strengthen workforce capacity through technology-enabled training.
Another key area was the development of an integrated Digital Referral Management System, linking primary healthcare facilities with higher-level secondary and tertiary care facilities. The system incorporates clinical protocols and standardised referral procedures to support appropriate and timely referrals, particularly for patients requiring specialised or emergency care.
The integration of referral protocols and checklists into the Electronic Medical Record and its integration to HIMS system was also discussed. The initiative aims to standardise referral practices, improve coordination between referring and receiving facilities, and strengthen continuity of care. Training healthcare staff in the use of these protocols is considered an important component of implementation.
The mission also reviewed progress on Level-I neonatal care nurseries at Rural Health Centres (RHCs). The presentation highlighted their role in strengthening newborn care at the primary healthcare level through timely assessment, initial management and stabilisation of newborns requiring medical attention, with referral to higher-level facilities where necessary.
A comparative assessment of newborn-care arrangements before and after the establishment of the nurseries was presented to illustrate efforts to strengthen neonatal care closer to communities. The intervention aims to improve access to appropriate newborn care, particularly in underserved areas, and support the timely management of neonatal complications.
The interventions form part of NHSP Punjab’s broader efforts to strengthen primary healthcare service readiness, improve healthcare provider competencies, enhance digital health systems and establish more effective referral pathways across the province.
The mission reviewed the progress presented and discussed implementation priorities requiring continued coordination and follow-up. NHSP Punjab, supported by the World Bank, aims to strengthen the equitable delivery and quality of essential health services at the primary healthcare level, with a focus on service readiness, governance and accountability, and financing and public financial management.
The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary (A&R) Adnan Shahzad, Director of the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention, Punjab, Dr Moiz Mansoor, Project Director EPI, Dr Naveed Akhtar, Project Director PFFP, Capt. (Retd.) Dr Usman Ali Khan, Deputy Director, HISDU; Khalid Sharif, Dr Qasim from TB Control, and Deputy Project Director PMU Rai Faisal Raza. The World Bank delegation included Provincial Technical Lead Dr Ali Mirza, Abid Ali Khan, Saadiya Razzaq and Dr Supriya Madhavan, Senior Health Specialist (SHS) associated with the Global Financing Facility (GFF), along with other mission members and representatives of partner organisations.
The PMU-NHSP Punjab team included Health Specialist Dr Shahzad Sarwar; Financial Management Specialist Umaid Faisal; Communication Specialist Karamat Ali; Procurement Specialist Anayat Shah; Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist Ms Yusra Naeem; Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Muhammad Hasseb; Financial Management Associate Maqbool Hussain; Program Support Associate Usman Ali; and Monitoring and Evaluation Associate Ahmad Sohaib.
