Laxity will not be tolerated on welfare-oriented project: PM

Sharif launches health plan to help the poor in 15 districts

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday launched the Prime Minister's National Health Programme in Islamabad to ensure medical treatment for families living in districts below the poverty line.
The new policy aims at ensuring cheap medical care to poor people against seven life-threatening diseases.
The scheme offers free of cost treatment for ailments such as cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, Burma and RTA (life and limb saving treatment, implants, prosthesis). It will also cover end-stage renal diseases and dialysis, chronic infections (Hepatitis), organ failure (Hepatic, Renal, Cardiopulmonary) and cancer treatment (Chemo, Radio and Surgery).
Launching the NHP, the premier said needy and deserving people will get free medical facilities at different hospitals free of cost while showing health cards issued to them.
He underlined that no failure or laxity on welfare-oriented programme was acceptable to his government. "We are fully alive to our responsibilities and success hinges on collective efforts," he said, adding, that fee medical facilities will be provided to low income groups for the first time in the history of Pakistan.
"From now onwards, no poor person will be forced to sell his property to meet his medical expenses," Sharif said, adding, that "This is another step towards making Pakistan a welfare state."
He said, "No discrimination should be meted out between haves and have-nots. A healthy society provides foundation for a healthy nation". The premier also warned departments that misuse of funds for the programme would not be tolerated. "Transparency should be ensured at every cost," he advised the officials involved in the programme. Initially the programme is being started in 15 districts of the country. Under the programme health care cards will be issued to the beneficiaries on which they will get free medical treatment of seven diseases.
Around 63,000 people will be issued health cards through 300 centres in Islamabad and Lahore which have initially been established for the distribution of health cards. Further, every card holder will be able to avail health facilities worth Rs300,000 per year; however, in case of exceeding the card limit the patient will be provided financial assistance by the Pakistan Baitul Mal.
The PM had approved this programme in June last year. A provision of Rs1 billion was included in the budget for launching the scheme on a pilot basis which will then be replicated in a large number of districts.
In the first phase the programme will provide free of cost access to hospital/indoor care to 3.1 million families. This will be spread across to families in 23 districts of Pakistan living below the poverty line both for 7 priority and secondary diseases.
The districts included in this programme are Narowal, Khanewal, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Sheikhupura, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mardan, Malakand, Kohat and Chitral. In addition Quetta, Loralai, Lesbela, Kech, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Diamer, Skardu, Bajaur Agency, Khyber Agency and ICT are also included.
news@khaleejtimes.com (With inputs from Online)

• Pakistan