Federal Minister for National Health
services Saira Afzal Tarar said that government of Pakistan recognizes access
to quality health-care services the inherent right of every Pakistani. We have
laid down health as a priority agenda in Pakistan. It is only through provision
of quality and affordable health services that the nation can achieve its full
potential and gains on the economic and social fronts while she was talking RC
Meeting – Good Practice on Social Health Protection.
Minister
said that government of Pakistan has envisioned that unless we reach out to the
poorest of the poor with a comprehensive package of curative health services
that is available in both public and private sector free of charge, we will not
be able to achieve the goal of providing Universal Health
Coverage to this highly vulnerable segment of the society.
Prime
Minister’s National Health Program is a social health protection initiative
designed to provide a path to reach Universal Health Coverage in Pakistan. In
its first phase we are providing free of cost health insurance to families
living below poverty line to access quality indoor health care services from
empaneled health care facilities. I am pleased to announce that we have started
implementing programs and now a days working on taking the program to its next
level.
She
further said after completion Prime Minister’s National Health Program will
eventually be focusing on around 100 Million people across the country. This
will indeed be the real revolution when people get the treatment for different
ailments free of cost from the best public or private health facility. I am
confident that this revolution in the health sector will go a long way in
turning around the state of health in the country and improve our indicators.
The
program, once fully implemented, will be a major step in poverty alleviation
through the reduction of financial barriers for quality health care services.
This program will also bring equity in health services as the poor will now get
the same quality of services as the affluent class both in Public and Private
sector health facilities.
Minister
said we are piloting multiple innovation in the program through which its
beneficiaries will be provided with services for high burden diseases, which
were not present in the current phase. Through these pilot programs we are not
only developing linkages with already existing primary health care services but
also brining in Out Patient Services in the program.
She
said currently the PMNHP is being in the process of implementation in 40
districts. 26 districts have already been rolled down and process of
beneficiary enrolment has been started in remaining districts. We are providing
health care services to more than 1.6 million families and are hoping to reach a
target of 3 million families during current financial year.
She
said lets work together and move to a level where no individual or
family is drawn into poverty due to catastrophic health expenditure or unable
to access quality health care services due to financial insecurities. Lets
work together towards providing cashless quality health access to all
regardless of their social economic status, race and gender. Lets work
together towards a future where we can have health, prosperous and
productive nation. Lets work together towards Universal Health
Coverage. Lets work together.
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