Analyzing the Spatial Population Density and Available Health Facilities in Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Lahore is one of the largest a very densely populated urban center in Pakistan and is grappling with the challenge of equitable access to health care services due to rapid urbanization. In this study spatial distribution of population density, accessibility and sufficiency of healthcare facilities has been analyzed in five tehsils of Lahore by using GIS techniques. The information regarding 97 hospitals were collected from Punjab Health Information Management Centre (PHIMC) while population data was collected from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) 2023 census. Google Earth Engine and ArcMap 10.8 were used for the spatial analysis and visualization. The results show distinct spatial differences between population density and health care. Lahore City and Shalimar have the highest population density, but also have lower levels of health care accessibility (0.51 and 0.26 hospitals per 100,000 people). Raiwind demonstrates relatively better per-capita accessibility (1.85 per 100,000) but remains heavily dependent on private facilities (>90%), raising equity concerns. Spatial accessibility modeling further indicates that central Lahore areas generally fall within 15-minute travel times, while peripheral tehsils such as Raiwind and Shalimar exceed 22.5 minutes. Overall, hospitals are unevenly clustered in central zones, with general hospitals dominating and specialized services concentrated in Model Town. The study concludes that healthcare infrastructure in Lahore is misaligned with population demand, driven by spatial imbalance and institutional concentration. It is recommended that GIS-based planning and targeted public investment should be addressed to improve equitable healthcare access, particularly in high-density urban cores and underserved peripheral regions.

Keywords: Healthcare Accessibility, Spatial Analysis, Population Density, GIS, Healthcare Equity, Hospital Distribution, Urban Planning.