LAHORE: The Punjab government is intensifying efforts to enhance the health insurance programme, aiming to make it more beneficial for people.
This was stated by by Punjab Health Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir during the third meeting of the sub-committee of the working group on health insurance, held at the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) on Thursday.
The ministers reviewed ongoing reforms and discussed future strategies for the health insurance sector. Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique emphasised the need to address existing flaws in the programme. “We are striving to increase the capacity of government hospitals,” he stated. He highlighted the government’s efforts to enhance the financial model of the health insurance programme, stressing that the primary focus remains on patients utilising government hospital services. He also mentioned that the final recommendations from experts regarding Universal Healt
h Insurance would be presented to Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
Khawaja Imran Nazir, Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, announced plans to revise the rates within the universal health insurance programme. “We aim to encourage private practice in government hospitals,” the minister remarked. He underscored the meeting’s primary goal: to improve the universal health insurance programme. He noted that the gathered experts provided valuable insights and suggestions.
Key figures in attendance included Secretary Health Punjab Ali Jan Khan, Special Secretary Development Syed Wajid Ali Shah, Vice Chancellor University of Child Health Sciences Professor Dr. Masood Sadiq, and CEO PHIMC Dr. Ali Razzaq, among others. Additionally, Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University Prof. Mahmood Ayaz and Principal Bahawalpur Medical College Prof. Dr. Sophia Farrukh joined the meeting via video link.