Federal govt signs Universal Health coverage agreements with Punjab, ELI

Federal govt signs Universal Health coverage agreements with Punjab, ELI

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal government on Wednesday signed Universal Health coverage agreements with Punjab and Estate Life Insurance (ELI) in Islamabad.

According to details, the agreement took place between federal government, Punjab and Estate Life Insurance while the signatures were done by the relevant authorities in the presence of Prime Minster of Paksirtan (PM) Imran Khan. On the occasion, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Secretary National Health Amir Ashraf Khwaja, CEO Punjab Health Insurance Management Company Ali Raziq and Chairman MLOU Estate Life Insurance Cooperation of Pakistan Shoaib Javed Hussain signed the pact.

Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan Imran Khan had announced to inaugurate a new health facility program on December 13.

According to the scheme, all citizens will be given free treatment on getting hospitalized and a free insurance of Rs10 hundred thousand has been granted to every citizen. Through health cards, citizens will be able to avail the facility of getting free treatment of many diseases including open-heart surgery, angioplasty, neurosurgery, body burns, accidents and cancer. And the health services are portable between the districts and provinces.

Earlier in December, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had launched the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card scheme providing the annual health insurance cover of Rs 1 million to each family across the Punjab province.

“This is a landmark. This is a defining moment towards our course to make Pakistan a welfare state,” the prime minister said addressing the launching ceremony here.

He said starting from January 2022, the Sehat Card would be distributed across the province within three months allowing whole of the Punjab population to avail free medical treatment worth Rs 1 million a year at both government and private hospitals.

“This is not a health insurance rather a health system. Now private sector will build hospitals even in villages where the basic health units remain vacant as no doctor desires to be posted there. Now private sector will come and poorest of the poor will get free treatment,” the prime minister remarked.

He said the difficulties faced by his family for treatment of her cancer patient mother, had prompted him to think of introducing a universal health insurance facility for the whole population so that no one had to sell out belongings for the medical treatment of their dear one.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier in December, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had launched the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card scheme providing the annual health insurance cover of Rs 1 million to each family across the Punjab province.

“This is a landmark. This is a defining moment towards our course to make Pakistan a welfare state,” the prime minister said addressing the launching ceremony here.

He said starting from January 2022, the Sehat Card would be distributed across the province within three months allowing whole of the Punjab population to avail free medical treatment worth Rs 1 million a year at both government and private hospitals.

“This is not a health insurance rather a health system. Now private sector will build hospitals even in villages where the basic health units remain vacant as no doctor desires to be posted there. Now private sector will come and poorest of the poor will get free treatment,” the prime minister remarked.

He said the difficulties faced by his family for treatment of her cancer patient mother, had prompted him to think of introducing a universal health insurance facility for the whole population so that no one had to sell out belongings for the medical treatment of their dear one.

What is Universal Health Coverage program?

Universal health coverage means that all people have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It includes the full range of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

Currently, at least half of the people in the world do not receive the health services they need. About 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty each year because of out-of-pocket spending on health. This must change.

To make health for all a reality, we need: individuals and communities who have access to high quality health services so that they take care of their own health and the health of their families; skilled health workers providing quality, people-centered care; and policy-makers committed to investing in universal health coverage.

Universal health coverage should be based on strong, people-centred primary health care. Good health systems are rooted in the communities they serve. They focus not only on preventing and treating disease and illness, but also on helping to improve well-being and quality of life.