Rs100m announced for dengue patients

Dengue fever has claimed at least 27 lives so far, with over 3000 affected across the country.

LAHORE:

Chairman Pakistan Baitul Maal Zamurud Khan announced Rs100 million as aid for dengue fever patients on Monday.

This money will be used to save patients who cannot afford treatment on their own.

Making the announcement during a press conference at Baitul Mal headquarters, Khan said that majority of the patients were young people from low-income groups.

“According to the data we have collected 90 per cent of dengue patients visiting hospitals, belong to the lower socio-economic class and cannot afford its expensive treatment,” he added.

The aid package is for all private and public hospitals treating dengue fever patients.

Khan said, “It is painful to see a dengue fever patient dying because they do not have enough money for treatment.”

Baitul Mal has set up five centres across the country (one in each province) where dengue fever patients can request free treatment.

“In these centres our staff will be available round-the-clock to register deserving
patients and facilitate them,” he claimed.

He said that patients could contact the centres at the toll-free number 0800-13523.

The contact number for Baitul Mal headquarters in Islamabad is 051-9258650.

Khan claims that requests from hospitals will be addressed within 24 hours and that the process involved no complicated procedures.

Officials in the centres will be verifying the validity of registered cases. If they decide that the patient is genuinely in need of assistance, money will be transferred to a relevant hospital’s account, Khan claims, within a day.

According to the National Institute of Health 3,664 positive cases of dengue fever have been reported from across the country and claimed 27 deaths so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2010.