Poor patients to receive financial assistance
Aid will be given to 600 needy patients under BAEF initiative
PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Balochistan Minister for Social Welfare and Non-Formal Education Asadullah Baloch on Sunday said the provincial government will approve 100 more cases in next meeting of Balochistan Awami Endowment Fund (BAEF) to provide financial assistance to poor patients.
The meeting would be held on Monday (tomorrow), he added.
Talking to APP, he said the aid would be given to 600 poor and needy patients suffering from different chronic diseases under the BAEF initiative to get them treated in the best public and private sector hospitals across the country.
He said the provincial government has allocated Rs3 billion supplementary fund which would be spent for the treatment of "open heart surgery, Thalassemia, cancer, liver and kidney transplants, adding that all cases have been approved by the medical board.
The minister said the government was receiving Rs40 million monthly as seed money but the need of the poor people had gone above Rs100 million.
Baloch said he had submitted the proposal to the provincial cabinet to issue Rs500 million supplementary budget to the special support programme so that the needs of the people could be met.
He also urged the private sector to come forward and join hands with the government for the noble cause. He said that an amount of Rs2 billion would be also allocated in next year’s budget for the programme to ensure best health care facilities to maximum number of poor people who were suffering from chronic diseases.
Baloch said this initiative was the first of the best welfare programmes in South Asia, which was supporting the needy through cash transfers. He said the occurrence of cancer was particularly high in Chagai and Neseerabad district and the ratio of life threatening diseases was also high in Kohlu and Dera Bugti.
“The government has also approved a draft for the provincial special support programme which would provide assistance to the social and sports sectors of the province,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2020.
Balochistan Minister for Social Welfare and Non-Formal Education Asadullah Baloch on Sunday said the provincial government will approve 100 more cases in next meeting of Balochistan Awami Endowment Fund (BAEF) to provide financial assistance to poor patients.
The meeting would be held on Monday (tomorrow), he added.
Talking to APP, he said the aid would be given to 600 poor and needy patients suffering from different chronic diseases under the BAEF initiative to get them treated in the best public and private sector hospitals across the country.
He said the provincial government has allocated Rs3 billion supplementary fund which would be spent for the treatment of "open heart surgery, Thalassemia, cancer, liver and kidney transplants, adding that all cases have been approved by the medical board.
The minister said the government was receiving Rs40 million monthly as seed money but the need of the poor people had gone above Rs100 million.
Baloch said he had submitted the proposal to the provincial cabinet to issue Rs500 million supplementary budget to the special support programme so that the needs of the people could be met.
He also urged the private sector to come forward and join hands with the government for the noble cause. He said that an amount of Rs2 billion would be also allocated in next year’s budget for the programme to ensure best health care facilities to maximum number of poor people who were suffering from chronic diseases.
Baloch said this initiative was the first of the best welfare programmes in South Asia, which was supporting the needy through cash transfers. He said the occurrence of cancer was particularly high in Chagai and Neseerabad district and the ratio of life threatening diseases was also high in Kohlu and Dera Bugti.
“The government has also approved a draft for the provincial special support programme which would provide assistance to the social and sports sectors of the province,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2020.