NGO Pulse Aims and Objectives

Given this background, the purpose of NGO Pulse is to track the performance of NGOs involved in the health sector in Pakistan . There are no readily available data sets on NGOs in Pakistan and this has meant that where there are some detailed case studies for individual NGOs and sometimes smaller individual sectors, there is no in-depth analysis of NGOs at the sectoral level, and there is on way of tracking performance and carrying out evaluations at the macro level. The aim of the Pulse is to fill this gap. For NGO Pulse 2004-2005, we will debate whether NGOs are capable of being considered as a viable alternative to the government as far as the provision of health services is concerned. For this purpose data which is currently non existent, will be collected and analyzed to understand better the working of NGO organizations. From this data, we will extrapolate the answers to the question that we have posed.

The main tools to be used for collecting data will be a survey of about 350 NGOs covering all four provinces of Pakistan and in-depth interviews with managers or chief operating officers of 30 NGOS also from around different regions of the country. Moreover, there will be 3 intensive case studies and a workshop held with key informants and stakeholders of health NGOs. The aim is not to disapprove or approve. It is to understand for ourselves and then help the reader understand the growing need in our country for community involvement, at the micro and macro levels. We hope the NGO Pulse will not only provide information to the various stakeholders on what is happening in this sector, but will also trigger relevant debates in the various areas to be focused on.