PMNHP To Be Expanded To All Districts: Senate Told

ISLAMABAD, (Muzaffargarh.City – 01st Nov, 2017 ) :State Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Darshan on Wednesday apprised the Senate that PC-1 of the Prime Minister’s National Health Programme (PMNHP) has been approved and it would be expanded across the country.

Replying to various questions during Question Hour, the minister said the program was designed to provide financial protection to families, living below poverty line of $2 per day, against catastrophic health expenditure incurred during accessing health care services.

The program was a path to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Pakistan and was playing an integral role in achieving National Health Vision of Pakistan 2016-2025, he added. He said through Prime Minister’s National Health Program each enrolled beneficiary family was entitled of secondary indoor health care services worth Rs: 50,000 per year and 7 priority indoor health care services worth Rs: 250,000 per year.

He said as per the directives of Prime Minister, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination was working to expand the horizon of Prime Minister’s National Health Program in all districts of Pakistan.

He said PC-1 of Rs: 33.9 billion for the period of 5 years has been approved in CDWP meeting on October 19, 2017.

The program was being implemented in phases. He said in first phase the program was being implemented in 40 districts across Pakistan.

He said as on 23rd October 2017 Prime Minister’s National Health Program has started service delivery to 1.4 million enrolled beneficiary families in 24 districts of Pakistan which includes Muzaffarabad, Kotli (AJK), Quetta, Loralai, Lasbela, Gwadar, Kech (Balochistan), Khyber Agency, Bajour Agency (FATA), Diamer, Skardu (GB), Islamabad (ICT), Kohat Mardon, Abbottabad, Chitral (KP), Khanewal, Narowal, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan (Punjab), Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Mohammad Khan and Hyderabad (Sindh).

The minister said in addition to above, activities to start beneficiary enrolment and implementation of Prime Minister’s National Health Program has been started in 16 new districts. These districts included Killa Abdullah, Khuzdar (Balochistan) , Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Vehari, Lodhran, Multan, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Khushab, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Hafizabad (Punjab) and Jacobabad (Sindh).

After the approval of Phase II PC-1, Prime Minister’s National Health Program will be implemented in all districts of Pakistan focusing of poor families.