Referral system is a system, when doctor or hospital is faces any limitation in provision of health care, the patient is referred to another doctor or hospital for health care consultants (WHO). The referral system is one of the major structural challenges of the health system. Limited studies have evaluated barriers of the referral system for health care provision in rural areas. Rural health provision has been a major concern of health ministry and government of Pakistan in recent years. About half of the seven-billion world population live in rural areas. Increasing population of rural areas require substantial health services and the attention of doctors and nurses, midwives, and other health care providers. Supervisor: Dr. Atiq Ur Rehman Co- Supervisor: Dr. Fazli Hakim Khattak