ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar called upon nations of the world to unite for fighting diseases and ensuring access to health services to the impoverished and the disadvantaged.
Addressing the World Health Assembly in Geneva, the minister urged for united efforts in strengthening health systems that can provide basic health services to the people at any time.
She said that the poorest of the poor are often left out from reaping the benefit of health facilities. The minister informed that Pakistan has launched National Health Insurance Programme which will cover ten million poor in the first phase, said a message recieved here on Tuesday.
Under the programme the entire cost of hospitalization will be borne by government funded insurance system.
The minister said, "We believe this is an important step towards universal health coverage." Pakistan is alive to control of non communicable diseases and a major step recently has been the enhancement of pictorial health warning on cigarette packs to 85 percent alongwith increase in taxes.
Assuring the global health forum of Pakistan's sincere and concerted efforts to wipe out polio the minister said it is an issue of paramount importance for Pakistan. The case load has dropped significantly, environmental samples are increasingly negative, the security situation has been improved and access issues have been addressed through top level government stewardship.
Resilient health systems are important for developing countries like Pakistan where limited resources and capacity make them more vulnerable to risks, the minister said.
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