Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif launched the Prime Minister’s National Health Programme in Islamabad on Thursday. The National Health Programme ensures medical treatment for people and families who live in districts below the poverty line.
State Minister for National Health Services, Coordination and Regulations, Saira Afzal Tarar gave a briefing to PM Nawaz on the benefits and services of the programme that offers less expensive medical care to underprivileged people against illnesses and diseases.
The scheme will offer free of cost treatment for cardiovascular ailments like RTA (life and limb saving treatment, implants and prosthesis), Burma and Diabetes Mellitus. The National Health Programme is also to cover the severe renal ailments and chronic infections, organ failure (Renal, Hepatic and Cardiopulmonary) and cancer treatment (Chemo, Radio and Surgery).
The programme is being initiated in fifteen country districts initially. Under the programme, health care cards are to be issued to the recipients who will then receive free medical care for seven diseases.
The PM was briefed that almost 63,000 people will be given health cards via 300 centres in Lahore and Islamabad; initially set up to distribute health cards.
Moreover, each card holder will be able to acquire the health facilities of Rs 0.3 million every year; however if the card limit is exceeded, the patient will be given financial help by Baitul Mal.
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The PM approved the programme last year, in June. Rs 1 billion was provided in the budget to launch the scheme on a pilot basis; it will then be imitated in several other districts.
In the programme’s first phase, free cost access will be given to hospitals and indoor care will be given to 3.1 million families.
This will then be extended to 23 Pakistani districts below the line of poverty for both 7 secondary and priority diseases. The districts in the programme are; Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Narowal, Khanewal, Sheikhupura, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mardan, Malakand, Kohat, Chitral and Sanghar.
Also, Quetta, Lesbela, Loralai, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Skardu, Bajaur Agency,Kech, Diamer, Kyber Agency and ICT are also involved.
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