Poor, middle class to be biggest beneficiaries of health card: PM
Pakistan
Universal health coverage system not available even in several developed countries
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday directed to implement measures regarding ongoing health-related projects on priority basis in order to facilitate the common man.
Presiding over a meeting on improvement of health sector, the prime minister expressed satisfaction that the Naya Pakistan National Health Card was the largest health sector programme in the history of the country.
He said that poor and the middle class would be the biggest beneficiaries of the health card, adding that such universal health coverage system was even not available in several developed countries.
The prime minister was informed about the progress regarding provision of health facilities and the ongoing projects at the federal government level, and in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It was highlighted that a large number of people in Punjab and KP were benefiting from free healthcare facilities.
The meeting discussed that the government was launching a programme to control stunted growth in children, particularly in the rural districts of the country.
It was emphasized that to improve maternal and child health, an across the board monitoring of the child’s health would be carried out right from birth.
It was informed that the government would ensure the capacity-building of nursing sector through training of international standard.
The prime minister was briefed that due to the effective measures taken by the government, the rate of general vaccination of citizens had increased from 66 to 76 percent.
Also in Punjab, the rate of general vaccination had touched over 91 percent, which was being recognized internationally. In addition, the targets for COVID-19 vaccination are also being set.
The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan, and provincial ministers Dr. Yasmeen Rashid and Taimur Saleem Jhagra.
