‘Expedite medical insurance rollout’

Health minister vows to resolve bottlenecks expeditiously

ISLAMABAD: The newly elected health minister has called for enhancing the scope of the health insurance card — introduced by the outgoing government — and to expedite the process so that the service is available to the deserving across Pakistan.

The Prime Minister’s Health Insurance Programme, initiated by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, is currently operating in 38 districts of the country, benefiting some 3.24 million families. However, so far only the first phase of the project has been executed.



In the second phase of the programme, it is expected to be rolled out to the remaining districts of the country, bringing affordable healthcare to around 15 million families living below the poverty line.

The project concept-I (PC-I) for phase two had been approved by the previous government with pledges of Rs33 billion for five years apart from the provincial share.

The programme was designed to provide indoor health services to people who earn less than Rs200 a day to get facilities which can cost up to Rs500,000. The health insurance scheme uses data of the Benazir Income Support Programme to identify and reach out to recipients.

On Friday, Kiyani was briefed about the programme.

According to officials, the minister appreciated the programme and asked to expedite its implementation to other districts.

With the minister having taken an oath of office earlier this week, it is unclear at his stage whether the government will continue with the current model of health insurance or will it proceed to replace it with Sehat Sahulat card model launched by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Health officials, though, believe that in the future, both the programmes could be merged since they both have similar features.

According to an official statement released after the meeting, Kiyani said that they have to ensure that the best facilities are provided to the poorest of the poor and that every effort is made to ensure efficiency and transparency.



He directed them to identify bottlenecks and hurdles in the way of achieving their goals which will be taken up and expeditiously resolved.

“We must practice austerity, simplicity reducing expenditure which should be diverted for the welfare of the common man,” said the minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2018.