Khattak approves extension of Sehat Sahulat Programme to whole KPK

PESHAWAR, March 30: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has approved extension of Sehat Sahulat Programme (Social Health Protection Initiative) to the whole province from the next financial year to provide free quality health care facilities to poorest strata of the population.
This was decided in a high level meeting held at Chief Minister Secretariat, Peshawar under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister. The Secretary Health while giving details of the scheme informed the meeting that the proposed programme costing Rs.1.82 billion would provide free health care services to 32 per cent of the poorest population, around 1,166,388 households of the province which constitute 8,100,000 persons.
He explained that deserving patients would be registered according to the poverty index criteria set by Benazir Income Support Programme. Similarly he informed that Rs.25,000 would be incurred on the treatments of a single deserving patient while the whole poor family would be provided Rs.175.000 per year for the purpose. He went on to say that the registered patients would have the choice to select either public or private hospital for treatment.
He elaborated that the healthcare programme, beside reducing expenditures of the poor population and generation of additional income for the public sector hospitals would also provide incentives for the health staff. The steps, he said would increase access of the poorest population to quality health care, improve health status of the target of population and help reduce poverty.
It is recalled that the mentioned programme is already been implemented in four districts of the province including Mardan, Kohat, Malakand and Chitral with the financial assistance of KFW and the provincial government. The beneficiaries of existing programme are 21 per cent poorest households are being facilitated under the programme.-PR