Staff Reporter
In line with his vision of Universal Health Coverage, Prime Minister of Pakistan has Launched “Sehat Sahulat Program” for all persons with disabilities and their families in Pakistan. To Expand this public service initiative towards prosperous and healthy nation, the launch of the provision of ‘Sehat Insaf Cards’ for the persons with disabilities (PWDs), a national level ceremony held in the Auditorium of Prime Minister’s Office, Islamabad on Saturday.
Addressing the launching ceremony special Assistant to PM On Health Dr Zafar Mirza said that this is the first-ever initiative aimed at the empowerment, mainstreaming and well-being of the persons with disabilities by the Government of Pakistan.
Through health card, disabled individuals and their registered families will also be provided with similar benefits which are being provided to other families
Dr.Zafrar Mirza said this joint collaboration between Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and Ehsaas Program would be an example for all other public sector initiatives to work together and synergize their efforts to bring benefits for our people in Naya Pakistan.
He said program will be a major step in poverty alleviation efforts as expensive treatment for all major diseases is covered in it and will protect vulnerable families from economic shocks
Dr Zafar Mirza said Through this Social Health Protection initiative all persons with disabilities and their families will be provided with free of cost health insurance to secure indoor health care services worth Rs: 720,000/- from empaneled hospitals through a very transparent and computerized mechanism.
The services which are available from Sehat Insaf Card includes open heart surgeries, insertion of stents, management of cancer, neurosurgical procures, burn management, accident management, dialysis, intensive care management, deliveries, C section and other medical / surgical procedures. The program will also provide Rs: 1,000 transportation cost to its beneficiaries at the time of their discharge from hospital.
There is provision of burial support as Rs: 10,000 per death (if occur in hospital). There is facility of Inter Provincial / Inter District Portability for availing free of cost services from any empaneled hospital in Pakistan.
Sehat Sahulat Program” in Pakistan, is the one of the leading initiatives of the current political government in Pakistan through which support and assistance is provided to poor families across the country.
Dr. Zafar Mirza, further added that this scheme will bring robust improvement in treatment and access to quality health care services to the persons with disabilities and their families in Pakistan. In the end he thanked all the participants of the ceremony for witnessing this important landmark initiative and assured that Ministry, under his supervision, will work day and night to assure the success of this program in providing benefits to the people of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sania Nishtar announced 5 of the priority goals of Ehsaas, which are part of the Ehsaas Strategy. These include: Safety net for at least 10 million families, Livelihood opportunities for 5 million individuals (50% women); financial access to healthcare through Insaf card for 10 million families; scholarships and education incentives for more than 5 million students (more than 50% girls); and through the Kifalat program, financial inclusion and access to mobile phones for 6 million women and 500 digital hubs for them to access internet. These goals will be explained in the Ehsaas strategy, which will be released soon.
Dr. Sania also elaborated on the other disability related policies in the Ehsaas framework. She said that “under the Ehsaas framework, 1% quota is being allocated for disabled government employees in government accommodation; 2% quota will be reserved for the disabled in Naya Pakistan housing scheme; special instructions have been given by the Prime Minister to strictly implement the 2% percent disabled quota in all govt jobs. Furthermore, to give greater salience to disability in public policy, the Ministry of Planning and Development Reforms has issued the directives that no PC-1 shall be approved, until it is disability friendly. In addition, legislation in line with UNCRP is tabled by the Ministry of Human Rights at Parliament”.
