EDITORIAL: The Health Card the PTI (Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf) introduced in the two provinces under its rule, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, offering healthcare cover to all has gradually been losing steam. Speaking at a presser a couple of months ago, Punjab caretaker minister for health Dr Javed Akram rubbished rumours that the card has been abolished.
At the same time, he expressed concern over its purported excessive usage and said only government hospitals will provide free treatment for heart disease, and private hospitals will charge a 30 percent fee for such treatments (surgical and preventive care costs). The 30 percent fee list has since been expanded to include at least eight other health problems requiring medical procedures.
While another minister said the government would create its own data of the poor (in addition to those registered under the Benazir Income Support Programme?), Dr Akram had deplored what he described as people (private hospital owners and medical practitioners) becoming billionaires with health card designed for the convenience of the poor.
However, the government hospitals seem to have made the situation worse rather than better due to carelessness or sheer incompetence. Notably, as per the agreement between the government and the State Life Insurance Corporation, Rs 22,000 is to be paid to a hospital for delivery; Rs 3,200 for C section; Rs 20,000 for surgery; Rs 5,000 for indoor treatment; and Rs 5,000 for each dialysis.
Now a press report quoting an official assessment report, prepared by health experts, shows that some 104,846 patients visited district headquarters (DHQ) hospitals in Punjab during July 1-25. Of them some 254,132 were pregnant women needing normal or C section delivery; 64,833 were admitted in intensive care/cardiac care units; and 7,225 required treatment for renal failure. Although these patients were illegible for treatment under the Universal Health Insurance programme, that facility was not used resulting in a loss of Rs 645 million to DHQs in just 25 days. According to the report, at this rate the estimated annual loss to government hospitals comes to more than Rs 3 billion (Rs 3,136,636,000).
The government pays 34 percent premium on the universal health insurance service. Yet the money that should be spent on improving facilities in government hospitals goes to waste. Whosoever is responsible for the slipup ought to be held to account. The health authorities also need to better regulate the affairs of both the public and private sector hospitals to ensure they provide quality healthcare.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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