Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Syed Imran Ahmed Shah today visited the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM), where he conducted a detailed review of the medical financial assistance being provided to deserving patients under Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.
Upon arrival, the Executive Director of NIRM, Dr. Shaista Habibullah, received the Federal Minister and briefed him on the institute’s overall performance, patient care facilities, and the support extended through Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal’s Individual Financial Assistance Programme.
The Federal Minister inspected various departments of NIRM and later visited the prosthetics laboratory, where he reviewed the process of assembling and provision of artificial limbs, orthoses, hearing aids, and other assistive devices. He termed NIRM’s rehabilitation services as critically important for persons with disabilities and individuals with special needs.
While speaking to the media, the Federal Minister stated that under the current government, Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal’s Individual Financial Assistance Programme has been made more effective, transparent, and expansive. He informed that from 2022 to 2025, a approximately 2,267 deserving patients at NIRM received treatment and rehabilitation support through Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, with an expenditure of approximately PKR 278 million.
He further shared that priority financial assistance at NIRM is being provided for major surgeries, artificial limbs, implants, hearing aids, and speech and physical rehabilitation cases. He added that the maximum assistance limit under the Financial Assistance Programme has been enhanced from PKR 1 million to PKR 1.5 million.
The Federal Minister emphasized that the government’s clear priority is to ensure that no deserving individual is deprived of life-saving surgery or prosthetic treatment due to financial constraints. He also noted that the medical financial assistance budget of PBM has been increased from PKR 227 million in the previous fiscal year to approximately PKR 280 million in the current fiscal year, reflecting the government’s strong commitment to social protection and healthcare.
He stressed that financial assistance is provided only after case verification, medical assessment, and hospital validation. He directed the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal’s facilitation desk to be established at NIRM, along with improvement in online case tracking and a fully computerized administrative system. He made it clear that no negligence will be tolerated, and that PBM must resolved medical assistance cases within one month, while emergency cases should be processed through an effective fast-track mechanism.
On this occasion, the Federal Minister also appreciated the Ramadan relief initiatives undertaken by Benazir Income Support Programme under the leadership of its Secretary, Amir Ahmed Ali, terming them timely and positive measures. He stated that the current government is advancing all social protection programmes in a coordinated and effective manner.
He further announced that he would continue reviewing Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal initiatives by visiting other hospitals and universities across the country, and that visits to Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are also planned in the near future to further strengthen social protection and medical assistance systems at the grassroots level.
In conclusion, the Federal Minister commended the efforts of NIRM’s management, doctors, medical staff, and the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal team, stating that the collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal stands as a successful example of integrating rehabilitation healthcare and social protection into a cohesive and effective system.
