Description
Pakistan continues to be one of the world’s largest refugee-hosting countries with 1.3 million registered refugees, 99 % of which are Afghans. Health constitutes a vital facet of refugees’ lives, and the management of their health data through a distinct Refugee Health Information System across 54 Afghan refugee villages in Pakistan, overseen by the Department of Health, remains detached from the national health information system. This disconnect underscores the pressing need for reliable health data to foster evidence-based decision-making and ensure health equity among Afghan refugees.
Objectives:
This study seeks to evaluate the disparities in health status and healthcare access between Afghan refugees and permanent residents in Pakistan. The assessment employs the Global Reference List 2018 of 100 Core Health Indicators by the World Health Organization as a framework. The primary objective is to utilize population-based cross-sectional analysis to compare health data obtained from Afghan refugees and the resident Pakistani population.
Methodology:
A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using data acquired in 2021, encompassing 960 registered Afghan refugees sourced from the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and 20,430 individuals representing the resident Pakistani population, obtained from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Essential health service coverage indicators, focusing on malaria and fundamental healthcare services, aligned with the Global Reference List, served as outcome measures. Quantification of health and healthcare access disparities involved employing cross-tabulations, computing crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and stratifying by age and sex to further analyze the disparities.
Results:
The study findings unveiled substantial variations in health and access to healthcare between Afghan refugees and resident populations in Pakistan. Crude ORs demonstrated marked disparities in service coverage indicators related to malaria and essential health services. Age-stratified and sex-stratified ORs exhibited varying degrees of inequalities, signifying distinctive disparities across different demographic segments within the refugee and resident populations.
Discussion:
The identified disparities present a compelling case for urgent attention to address the healthcare discrepancies experienced by Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Analysis revealed specific areas of concern, including notable inadequacies in healthcare access, especially regarding malaria and essential health services among Afghan refugees. These findings underscore the imperative for evidence-based policy interventions aimed at mitigating health disparities and promoting equitable healthcare access for refugee populations in Pakistan.
Conclusion:
This study serves as a critical call to action, highlighting the urgency of addressing health disparities and inequities faced by Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. The findings underscore the harsh reality of marked differences in health status and access to essential healthcare services between Afghan refugees and the permanent resident population. This study underscores the urgent need to bridge the gaps in healthcare access and address health disparities among Afghan refugees in Pakistan. By utilizing robust methodology and globally recognized health indicators, the findings substantiate the necessity for evidence-based decision-making to facilitate equitable health outcomes and better healthcare access for Afghan refugees in the country.
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