In the pipeline: ‘K-P to be the first to issue health insurance cards’
Health minister says programme will be initiated in four districts initially.
“The process, as far as we know, will be completed in five years and during this time, every single (deserving) resident in K-P will receive his/her health card,” said one official requesting anonymity. STOCK IMAGE
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is likely to introduce health insurance cards for deserving people.
K-P will be the first province to introduce the cards as the health ministry is all set to initiate the programme in four districts in the first phase, Minister for Health Shahram Tarakai told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. These districts are Mardan, Malakand, Kohat and Chitral.
Tarakai said the initiative of the provincial government was discussed in detail by the health department, adding it will benefit deserving people who cannot afford quality health care.
“This is not only for government hospitals, as patients who cannot be treated at government hospitals for some diseases due to lack of facilities will be entitled to get medical assistance from private hospitals in their respective districts.”
The health minister added the department has already started collecting data to issue the cards.
Tarakai said the idea was also discussed with the federal government, but the Centre advised them to wait for some time. However, the provincial government has decided not to heed the advice as it is committed to providing quality health care services to its residents without any further delays, he said.
The minister said the health department will also use the Benazir Income Support Programme to obtain data of deserving people.
Officials of the health department said the idea was floated by the provincial government under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system in light of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
They said the cards will be issued across the board to every deserving person, which, according to the relevant authorities, will reduce corruption. In the past, many deserving people were turned down when they approached the Baitul Maal to obtain free medical services as their right was often usurped by those who did not truly deserve the aid.
Officials said hundreds of thousands of people across the world are deprived of proper health facilities due to poverty, which has led to the introduction of the UHC. They added the SDGs will be a continuation of the aims and objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) ending this year.
Meanwhile, a health directorate official said a survey will be conducted to collect data before issuing health cards. He added the data will be available with Pakistan’s Baitul Maal and all health facilities so that the health cards are issued sans discrimination.
“The process, as far as we know, will be completed in five years and during this time, every single (deserving) resident in K-P will receive his/her health card,” said one official requesting anonymity. He added data of all those getting this facility will be available with the health department.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2015.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is likely to introduce health insurance cards for deserving people.
K-P will be the first province to introduce the cards as the health ministry is all set to initiate the programme in four districts in the first phase, Minister for Health Shahram Tarakai told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. These districts are Mardan, Malakand, Kohat and Chitral.
Tarakai said the initiative of the provincial government was discussed in detail by the health department, adding it will benefit deserving people who cannot afford quality health care.
“This is not only for government hospitals, as patients who cannot be treated at government hospitals for some diseases due to lack of facilities will be entitled to get medical assistance from private hospitals in their respective districts.”
The health minister added the department has already started collecting data to issue the cards.
Tarakai said the idea was also discussed with the federal government, but the Centre advised them to wait for some time. However, the provincial government has decided not to heed the advice as it is committed to providing quality health care services to its residents without any further delays, he said.
The minister said the health department will also use the Benazir Income Support Programme to obtain data of deserving people.
Officials of the health department said the idea was floated by the provincial government under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system in light of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
They said the cards will be issued across the board to every deserving person, which, according to the relevant authorities, will reduce corruption. In the past, many deserving people were turned down when they approached the Baitul Maal to obtain free medical services as their right was often usurped by those who did not truly deserve the aid.
Officials said hundreds of thousands of people across the world are deprived of proper health facilities due to poverty, which has led to the introduction of the UHC. They added the SDGs will be a continuation of the aims and objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) ending this year.
Meanwhile, a health directorate official said a survey will be conducted to collect data before issuing health cards. He added the data will be available with Pakistan’s Baitul Maal and all health facilities so that the health cards are issued sans discrimination.
“The process, as far as we know, will be completed in five years and during this time, every single (deserving) resident in K-P will receive his/her health card,” said one official requesting anonymity. He added data of all those getting this facility will be available with the health department.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2015.