ISLAMABAD: Balochistan government has given go ahead to expand the seed money for Balochistan Awami Endowment Fund (BAEF) programme to Rs 2 billion to ensure the best health care facilities for maximum number of poor people who were suffering from chronic diseases.

The Balochistan government had provided financial assistance to 1,426 poor patients under BAEF programme so far who were suffering from chronic diseases, said an official of Balochistan government.

He said the provincial government had also allocated Rs 3 billion supplementary funds initially which were further enhanced with an additional grant of Rs 1 billion during last year.

The official said the assistance was being provided to the poor and needy patients under the BAEF initiative to get them treated in the best public and private sector hospitals across the country.

He said the medical board of the province was giving approval of 200 to 300 cases in each meeting. The Balochistan government had formed a special team of doctors who were visiting the penal hospitals across the country to ensure provision of the best treatment facilities.

The official said the government was receiving Rs 60 million monthly as seed money but, the need of the poor people had gone above to Rs 150 million. He said 20 to 30 million rupees were being spent on a single patient to ensure the best health care facilities.

He also urged the private sector to come forward and joined hands with the government for the noble cause. He said this initiative was the first of the best welfare programme in South Asia, which was supporting the needy ones through cash transfers. It should be noted that cancer, liver and kidney transplantation were the most expensive which required millions of rupees.