Minister for universal health coverage

Says maintaining progress toward UHC was challenging and was first and foremost a political choice

ISLAMABAD:

Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, Abdul Qadir Patel on Tuesday said that the government was striving to utilise all available resources for ensuring primary health care and achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in the country.

The minister said in a statement on the occasion of a national event jointly organized by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and Agha Khan University (AKU), which was held to share the experience of developing the national Universal Health Coverage-Benefit Package (UHC-BP) in Pakistan, its provincial localisation and to review future challenges and opportunities.

The minister said that Universal Health Coverage was the only way to guarantee the socioeconomic well-being of our communities in the context of health.

He added that maintaining progress toward UHC was challenging and was first and foremost a political choice.

He appreciated the provincial and federating area health departments and health development partners for their extensive support and contribution towards UHC.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2023.