Universal healthcare program creating enabling environment for HSPs in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (NNI): The government has created an enabling environment for health services providers (HSPs) through Sehat Sahulat Program that has resulted in secondary and tertiary healthcare becoming a win-win proposition for the stakeholders and is providing much-needed relief to millions of patients in need of hospitalization across the country.
A number of new hospitals are being built by the private sector to provide for the needs of the patients who can afford their treatment to a large extent in the shape of the health card.
The result has been not only increased universal healthcare facilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Punjab but also a beneficial impact on the overall economy.
However, there is a long way to go in terms of the improvement of quality in healthcare services and their standardization for the benefit of the patients.
This was observed by health professionals and experts during a seminar, titled ‘Strengthening of Healthcare Delivery System of Pakistan’, jointly organized by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, Rawalpindi Medical University (RMU), and Qmentum Consulting.
The seminar was chaired by Prof. Muhammad Umar, vice chancellor RMU, and co-chaired by Khalid Rahman, chairman IPS, while Muhammad Arshad Muqarib, CEO, Prime Minister’s Health Program, joined as the chief guest. NNI