Pakistan holds the 130th position out of 195 countries in the Global Health Security (GHS) Index, indicating its preparedness for health security threats.
The Global Health Security (GHS) Index is a comprehensive assessment that evaluates the health security capabilities of 195 countries, measuring their preparedness for epidemics and pandemics. This index provides a critical benchmark for understanding national capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
Pakistan's Performance in the GHS Index
Pakistan's performance is characterized by an overall index score of 30.4 out of a possible 100. This score places the country in the lower tier globally concerning its health security infrastructure and readiness.
Key Data for Pakistan
The following table summarizes Pakistan's ranking and score in the Global Health Security Index:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Rank | 130/195 |
| Overall Index Score | 30.4/100 |
| Change from 2019 | -0.9 |
This data reflects a slight decline in Pakistan's score compared to 2019, indicating a marginal decrease in its preparedness or capacity over that period.
Understanding the GHS Index
The GHS Index evaluates countries across six key categories:
- Prevention: Preventing the emergence or release of pathogens.
- Detection and Reporting: Early detection and transparent reporting for epidemics of potential international concern.
- Rapid Response: Rapidly responding to and mitigating the spread of an epidemic.
- Health System: Sufficient and robust health system to treat the sick and protect health workers.
- Commitment to Norms: Commitments to improving national capacity, financing, and adherence to international norms.
- Risk Environment: Overall risk environment and country vulnerability to biological threats.
A lower score in the index often highlights areas where a country needs to strengthen its public health infrastructure, surveillance systems, emergency response capabilities, and healthcare capacity. These findings are crucial for policymakers to identify gaps and prioritize investments in health security.
For more detailed information on the Global Health Security Index and country profiles, you can visit the official GHS Index website.
