Muhammad Zahid Rifat
Health and education are essential requirements besides other necessities like food and clothing for building a healthy, educated, enlightened, moderate and progressive society. Only a healthy, educated, moderate, enlightened and progressive nation can work dedicatedly and devotedly for progress and development of the country making it stronger, united . progressive and developed country moving in the right direct direction .Keeping all this in view apparently, the Federal Government during last few months has taken at least two major health initiatives one after the other for ensuring provision of modern healthcare facilities to the people living below poverty line and preferably those in the rural areas in different parts and regions. Though health is a devolved provincial subject in accordance with 18th Constitutional Amendment but still Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his government are taking adequate and appreciable measures for the healthcare of the poor segments of the society. One major health initiative is the National Health Programme of the Prime Minister under which the people earning less than Rs 200 a day on acquiring the Health Card can avail healthcare facilities in the hospitals. As announced by the Prime Minister on launching of the programme in Islamabad and elsewhere, the people earning less than Rs 200 a day are entitled to the health card and under the National Health Programme, the federal government would be providing an estimated Rs 2,50, 000 per annum as medical cover for a poor family. In case the amount does not cater to the need, in case of some major diseases, more funds accordingly will be made available from Pakistan Baitul Mal. Under the programme, the deserving people suffering from seven major diseases such as cardiovascular diseases such as pass surgeries or angioplasty treatments. The poorest of the poor people, who are going to benefit from this major health initiative, would be entitled to get additional medical care of Rs 3,00,000 in case the total cost exceeds initial payment already made. The National Health Programme is to be gradually expanded and extended to all parts of Punjab, Balochistan, Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) .Somehow, people in Sindh and Khber Pukhtoonkhwah provinces will not benefit from this initiative of the federal government as their governments had declined to become part of this National Health Programme. It is just not comprehensible as to why PPP’s Sindh Provincial Government and PTI’s KPK Provincial Government have taken this not so appreciable and advisable decision of stating out of the purview of this National Health Programme and thus denying the people, particularly the poor, of Sindh and KPK of healthcare facilities accruing from this initiative. Even if the respective provincial governments had already launched any such programme for provision of healthcare facilities, though no details are available in this respect, they should have become part of the National Health Programme for promotion of national integration and harmony. After all, the programme is being funded out of the public money from national exchequer and not named after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif like Benazir Income Support Programme which has not only been retained by the present government but it is also being allocating sufficient funds for its continued implementation. The federal cabinet in its marathon meeting under chairmanship of the prime minister in Islamabad, as per reports, took more commendable decisions of providing additional funds for treatment under the National Health Programme of the patients suffering from fatal diseases including kidney, liver, bone marrow transplant and various forms of cancer and ensuring efficient, effective and transparent implementation of the Prime Minister’s National Health Programme , the Health Infrastructure Development and Management Company is going to be established. As regards other major initiative, there is no denying the fact that more and more hospitals are needed to be provided both in the urban and rural areas all over the country in addition to the existing ones, which are falling short of healthcare demands and requirements of ever-growing population and increasing ailments. In view of this, it is quite appreciable to note that the Federal Government is going establish as many as 46 modern new hospitals in different parts of the country. The Federal Cabinet in its meeting the other day accorded approval to construct 46 modern hospitals on emergency basis to provide the latest healthcare facilities to the poor and each of these hospitals will have 100 to 500 beds. As a matter of fact, towards end of 2016, the National Assembly was initially given this good and welcome news that more than 40 state-of-the-art hospitals will be constructed by the Federal Government in densely-populated, deprived or marginalized areas of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwah (KPK), Gilgit-Baltistan, Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir in next three years preferably in the rural areas.As a follow-up of this, another statement was in this regard in the National Assembly and now the Federal Cabinet has accorded its approval in this respect. No further details are immediately available with regard to possible locations of these new modern hospitals as how many of these are going to be constructed in which of the above areas. About the Health Cards under the Prime Minister’s National Health Programme, the federal government in close coordination and cooperation of the provincial governments concerned should evolve a foolproof, transparent and easily accessible system in which the needy and deserving poor patients can secure the Health Cards without much difficulty and problem and accordingly avail the required healthcare facilities in their nearest hospitals.
Now that the local government system has been revived and in place down to the union council, it will be more appropriate if the health officials along with the peoples elected representatives visit the villages, towns and cities, ascertain information about needy and deserving people and issue the Health Cards at their doorsteps. Local representatives are in a better position to say as to who is a needy and deserving person in the area and entitled to avail the healthcare facilities.
The National Health Programme and the Health Cards details should be prominently displayed in all hospitals as well as union councils in Urdu language so that the people can know how to avail the healthcare facilities as and when they require in case of any ordinary and major fatal ailments and not having adequate resources for treatment of the same ailment.The more publicity is given to the Health Cards and facilities available for the treatment of the poor the more successful will be the National Health Programme.
About the just approved construction of 46 modern hospitals, it is suggested that bifurcation of these new hospitals area-wise should be decided and publicized widely so that the people know beforehand as to what modern healthcare facility is going to become available to them in due course of time.
To ensure that these new hospitals are constructed without any hitches , obstructions, objections and delays, it will be better and advisable that the federal government undertake implementation of this major health initiative in consultation, close cooperation and coordination with the governments of respective would be beneficiary areas as the governments of Punjab, Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA and Azad Jammu and Kashmir will be in a better position to say as to where these healthcare facilities are needed the most.
To conclude, one can only wish successful implementation of both these major health initiatives of the federal government. People particularly those living in the rural areas and having very limited resources do need modern healthcare facilities,irrespective of which government is providing the same , and they will all be very happy to avail these provided they know as to what, where and how they can avail these much needed medical care facilities nearest to their homes.
