Parliamentary panel informed: Govt plans to increase budget for medical treatment, welfare work

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Monday was informed the government has planned to increase the budget for medical treatment and other welfare works from Rs6.1 billion to Rs8 billion.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety was held under the chairmanship of Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini.

The committee reviewed the future plans of Pakistan Baitul Mal besides the public relief agenda, reduction of poverty, increase in literacy rate, medical treatment, and number of schools to be established, and elimination of child labour.

Aon Abbas Buppi, managing director, Baitul Mal through video link while DMD Mubashir Hassan, and other senior officials briefed the Standing Committee on the working methods, budget, public health, education, shelter, and women empowerment.

The Standing Committee was informed that since October 2018, the institution has saved the lives of 54,000 patients at a cost of Rs6.4 billion including Rs321 million was spent on 4,191 thalassemia patients in different parts of the country, Rs128 million was spent on hearing impaired children between the ages of one and five years. Four private hospitals along with one government hospital have been selected for treatment.

In response to a question from the chairman of the committee, it was informed that hospitals in the KPK and Balochistan were not included due to lack of ENT specialists for the disease. Jamaldini said that children are kept in the houses for household works, and incidents of child abuse are also reported. Institutions should take steps to protect child labour. The committee was informed that this is the work of the concerned agencies and does not fall under the purview of the Baitul Mal.

Senator Samina Saeed said that the number of begging children is increasing day by day across the country. Steps should be taken with the concerned departments by forming a joint committee of both the houses

Senator Lt Gen Abdul Qayyum (retired) said that according to the report of the former chairman HEC Dr Ataur Rehman, 25 million children are out of school, 32 percent of schools going children leave schools. In 40 percent of rural schools, there is no electricity and no water, while 49 percent have no latrines.

MD Pakistan Baitul Mal said that the focus of the prime minister is more on awareness and social welfare work. According to the vision of the “State of Madinah”, the prime minister launched the shelter project to ensure that no one goes hungry in the country. The current government has increased the budget for medical treatment and other welfare works from Rs5 billion to Rs6.1 billion, which is planned to increase to Rs8 billion. He said that special budget should be allocated for the huge expenditure incurred on treatment of bone marrow, kidney transplant, and cancer patients, at which the Standing Committee recommended allocating additional budget for the treatment of patients undergoing high cost surgery.

The Standing Committee was informed that the annual cost of a shelter is Rs50 million. Shelters are also receiving donations, of which four out of five ICT shelters are running on donations. There are also five shelters in Karachi. The organisation is receiving effective donations for shelters.

Senator Dr Rukhsana Zuberi said that news comes out every day that a missing child has been found. There should be a system under which the data of missing children can be collected in one place.

On which, MD Baitul Mal said that a lost children’s application will be developed in collaboration with the concerned agencies, which will contain the data of missing children. He told the committee that instead of expanding orphanages, widows were being given more support, so that they could better raise their children. The Standing Committee directed to formulate a mechanism as soon as possible.

Senator Fida Mohammad said that ice addiction was spreading rapidly in the society and especially Hayatabad and Karachi were badly affected.

Chairman Committee Senator Jamaldini said that hepatitis B and C has spread rapidly in the country like the corona pandemic and steps should be taken to control it. The Standing Committee recommended increase in budget to control the spread of the diseases in the country as soon as possible.

Senator Rukhsana Zuberi said that if there is more than one patient in a household, then Baitul Mal should amend its policy and take steps to treat all the patients in the household.

The committee was informed that as per the directions of the prime minister, steps were being taken to reduce poverty in the country, increase literacy rate and provide better treatment facilities to the people.

The committee was informed that soon a Widows and Orphans Welfare Program is being launched in seven districts in which 100 widows will be selected from each district under Ehsaas program. It is a pilot program that will later be rolled out across the country. The digital payment file has not yet been finalised by the Ministry of Finance on how to make the payment.

The committee was informed that no instruction was received from the Labour Department regarding the Malakand Division. Senator Fida Mohammad said that hundreds of mines and industries have been set up in Malakand division. There are about 80,000 labourers but no school has been set up in Malakand district. MD Baitul Mal said that the standing committee should make a recommendation.

The feasibility study directive will be followed.

The members of the committee said that the services rendered by the organization to the poor people were commendable. Every possible step will be taken to solve the problems of the institution and the committee is ready to assist at all times. The standing committee recommended steps for further relief to the poor.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021