Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Wednesday passed KP Health Foundation Bill, 2016 to allow the provincial government to establish a Health Foundation to promote and enable the development of innovative health care delivery models to achieve its policy objectives and improve coverage through various means of public private partnership for health care delivery services.
The bill was presented for consideration by the Senior Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai and after clause by clause debate the house adopted the bill with a single amendment proposed by Meraj Hamayun Khan of QWP while the amendments of Sobia Khan of PML-N were lapsed as the mover was absent from the house.
Under the Act, the provincial government will establish a foundation to be known as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Foundation, for the development, promotion and facilitation of public private partnership through various means, in line with health policy of government.
The oversight, guidance, management and general control of the foundation and its affairs will vest in the board, which will exercise all powers and do all acts and things that may be exercised or done by the foundation.
The government, not later than two months, from the date of the commencement of this Act will notify the board, which will consist of a chairperson and such official and non-official members. On the recommendation of the Search and Nomination Council will appoint chairperson from amongst its non-official members, who will president over the meetings. The official members will be included Secretary, Planning and Development Department and Special Secretary Health while non-official members will be included one representative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KPCCI), one economist providing economic perspective of public benefit, a member of civil society with experience in health and social welfare, a member from social development organisations with experience in health and other relevant and a member philanthropist/industrialists with experience in business and industries.
A meeting of the board will be called by the chairperson on such date and at such place, as he may deem appropriate. However, it will meet at least once in three months. The chairperson will preside over the meeting of the board, or in his absence, senior most member in age will preside over the meeting. Six members will constitute the quorum for a meeting, but non-official member will not be represented by any other member: Provided that at least half of the members from both non-official as well as official are present in the meeting.
The board will take all decisions with majority of votes. In the event of equality of votes, the person presiding over the meeting will have second or casting vote.
The non-official members including chairperson of the board will be selected by a Search and Nomination Council to be notified by the provincial government. The search and nomination council will consists of Minister for Health, as chairman, Additional Chief Secretary, Planning & Development Department, vice chairman while Secretary, Health, a philanthropist with the substantial contribution to the health care system to be nominated by the government, a retired senior person from medical profession to be nominated by government and a representative of the civil society preferably a woman to be nominated by the government.
The chairman will chair the meeting of the committee and in his absence the vice chairman will chair the meeting. A non-official member will, unless otherwise directed by government, hold office for a period of three years and will be eligible for another term of three years on part thereof as government may deem appropriate:
Provided that government may remove a non-official member any time after giving him an opportunity of being heard.
The powers and functions of the board of health foundation will be the implementation of policies relating to the public private partnership related initiatives under overall policies of government, supervise and co-ordinate the implementation of the Act, rules and regulations; promote, facilitate, coordinate and oversee public private partnership initiatives; assist the public and private parties in solving major problems arising in the public private partnership initiatives; enhance private sector participation in the provision of health services and operationalize public private partnership and innovative modalities in areas defined by the government; develop Standard Operating Procedures, operating guidelines, procedures and model documents for projects for approval by the board.
Similarly, the board will also undertake technical and financial appraisal and assess its readiness for implementation; undertake assessment of implementing agencies including public private sector and NGOs in terms of capacity fiduciary capabilities and procurement abilities; undertake contract management including monitoring and supervision; evaluate and prioritise project proposals submitted priority being given to diagnostic and clinical facilities, primary and secondary health sectors, facilities of mother and child health care, medical Para-medical and nursing education and perform such other functions as may be assigned to it by the provincial government.
Under the Act, the board may delegate any of its powers and functions to any employee of the foundation. The board will appoint a Managing Director on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed, provided that the person appointed as Managing Director will have at least fifteen years management experience in public health or medical profession with gradually increasing abilities of enhanced management.