Benazir Income support Programme (BISP) is all set to launch health insurance scheme, expanding the benefits to its registered families and providing health cover of Rs 25,000 on annual basis. BISP has formally signed an agreement with State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) recently to provide health insurance under 'Waseela-e-Sehat' to its beneficiary families, an official of BISP told APP on Friday.
The pilot project of health insurance scheme to be launched in Faisalabad district would be extended to beneficiary families all over the country subsequently. Under the pilot project of health insurance, 75,000 beneficiary families of Faisalabad district will get benefits from the scheme, the official said.
For providing quality health services, SLIC has signed agreements with six hospitals from private sector in the district and also negotiating with government of the Punjab to sign similar sort of agreements with public sector hospitals. The official said a comprehensive layout plan was being done since last one year to present this unique gift to beneficiary families, adding he said, "This is the first-ever such endeavour in the history of the country where poor have been provided the health facility."
Like all other initiatives of BISP, the health insurance would also be carrying state of the art technology-based systems, the official said. However, World Bank and German organisation GIZ are providing financial and technical support regarding health insurance scheme, the official added.
BISP has already provided life insurance to its beneficiary families in collaboration with the State Life Insurance Corporation and till now 2.5 million families have been provided with this facility while rest of the families would also be covered soon. The programme was established on the concept of social welfare three years back and now it has become a national asset for its services to poor of the country. As a result, a considerable reduction in poverty could be expected as a result of this measure in next ten years.