The Punjab government has finalised all arrangements to launch the Prime Minister's National Health Insurance Programme to provide best possible treatment at government's expense to the poor in the province by the end of this month. The Punjab government has earmarked Rs 1.5 billion to implement the Health Insurance Programme being launched on the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In the first phase of the programme, 1.3 million families would get free medical facilities in Rahim Yar Khan, Narowal, Khanewal and Sargodha districts. In the next phase four more districts including Lahore and Faisalabad would be covered in this Scheme.
State Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar chaired a meeting here on Tuesday, to review the arrangements for launching the Health Insurance Programme. The Advisor to CM for Health Khawaja Salman Raffique, officials of Health Ministry, Secretary Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Punjab Najam Ahmed Shah, Special Secretary Health Dr Sajid Mahmood Chauhan, CEO Punjab Health Initiative Management Company Dr Saira Siddique and other concerned officers attended the meeting.
The meeting decided to recruit District monitoring officers (DMOs) to monitor implementation of the project. CEO Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) briefed the meeting that distribution of insurance cards in Rahim Yar Khan has started while cards distribution work would be completed in remaining three districts within next two month. Kh Salman Rafique said that the Punjab government is determined to provide health cover to all the poor population of the 36 districts of province.
Officials told Business Recorder that treatment of cancer, accidents, burns, diabetic complications, heart bypass and infection will be insured under the priority diseases category. So each family will get treatment of Rs 300,000 per year and the amount will be doubled in case of emergency.