The provincial health department has been unable to implement the Social Health Protection Programme (PHPP) due to the delay in clearance from the federal interior ministry and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
“We are not clear if the programme will start this year as the Ministry for Economic Affairs has not received clearance from the interior ministry and the officials there say that the documentation will take more time,” K-P coordinator for health sector reforms Dr Raiz Tanoli told The Express Tribune.
The PHPP aims to establish micro health insurance schemes in Mardan, Malakand and Chitral districts and is part of the provincial government’s Annual Development Programme for 2012-13. It will be administered by a third party, preferably an insurance company, and public and private health providers will receive funds from the insurance scheme, which will subject to the quality of assessment.
The health programme is being funded by the German government, which has appropriated 10 million Euros. The K-P government has also allocated Rs120 million to subsidise the cost of insurance premiums for the poorest families.
“We are planning to take the burden of poor families and provide Rs1,700 for at least one family member and a maximum of seven family members while the insurance company would bear the burden of health expenditures,” Dr Tanoli said.
Secretary for Economic Affairs Javed Iqbal could not give a clear answer as to why the clearance had not been given. “I don’t know the reason for delay,” Iqbal said. We were only the facilitation department, while the FBR and the interior ministry have the authority to give a green signal, he added.
The joint secretary for economic affairs, Muhammad Asif Sheikh, could not be contacted for his comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2012.
1714129906-0/Clint-Eastwood-(1)1714129906-0-270x192.webp)
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ