Charter of the Economy only 14 percent in 2018-19. Clearly, budgetary allocations to the health sector will have to increase even more rapidly, if the coverage is to be improved in the presence of the fast­growing population of the country. Table 26.12 tracks the availability of medical and health facilities and personnel over the last fifteen years. The lack of adequate expansion is clearly demonstrated by the decline in the number of hospital beds from 6.5 per 10,000 population in 2005 to 6 per 10,000 population in 2020. The limited facilities available were acutely manifested after the first COVID-19 attack. Ad hoc arrangements had to be made and the SBP introduced a concessionary financing scheme for expansion of the required facilities. There was large­scale import of ventilators from China. Table 26.12: Availability of Medical and Health Facilities and Personnel Hospital Beds Dispensaries Maternity& Child Centers Doctors 2005 101,490 4,632 907 118,113 (6.5)*(3.0**(0.6)**(7.6)* 2010 104,137 4,842 909 144,901 (5.9)(2.8)(0.5)(8.3) 2015 119,548 5,695 733 184,711 (6.0)(2.9)(0.4)(9.4) 2020 133,707 5,743 752 245,987 (6.0)(2.6)(0.3)(11.0) *per 10,000 population|**per 100,000 population Source: PES Nurses 51,270 (3.3)* 73,224 (4.2) 94,766 (4.8) 116,659 (5.3) Along with a decline in availability of hospital beds, there has also been a reduction in population coverage by dispensaries and maternity and child centers. Perhaps the most unexpected finding is that there are over twice as many doctors as nurses in Pakistan. This vividly highlights the shortage of medical training facilities in the country. Trend in Health Indicators The trend in some health and related services indicators is presented in Table 26.13. Progress is visible in the percentage of children fully immunized, but 24 percent of the children in the country still do not get fully protection. Over a twelve-year period, infant mortality has declined by less than 10 percent. Pakistan today has the highest infant mortality rate in South Asia. It is over double the level in other South Asian countries. As highlighted earlier, Pakistan also has the lowest life expectancy. The crisis in the availability of safe drinking water, through piped tap, has also been highlighted by Table 26.13. access to tap water, which was already low, has declined further from 36 percent to only 18 percent. 274