Islamabad - Minister for National Health and Services (NHS), Saira Afzal Tarar on Friday paid a surprise visit to different private hospitals providing healthcare services under Prime Minister National Health Program, (PMNHP), official said.
Talking to The Nation official from NHS stated that the minister visited two private hospitals to monitor the healthcare services being provided to underprivileged patients under PMNHP.
“The visit was conducted to ensure the quality of healthcare to poor patients at private hospitals because, government is spending millions on PM healthcare initiative program,” official said.
There are around six private hospitals in federal capital providing healthcare facilities to residents of the city living below the poverty line.
Names of hospitals included Life Care Hospital, Begum Jan Hospital, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, A-Nafees Hospital, HBS Hospital and Shaafi International Hospital.
According to official, the minister visited HBS and Al-Nafees hospital and inquired from the patients about standard of medical care being provided to them.
The minister checked entire process from registration, admission, medical treatment to discharging of the patient.
She inquired from all responsible officials at every stage and asked questions about the time spent and process at each stage.
The minister also directed the hospital staff to make out all effort and work with missionary zeal for the noble cause so that highest quality of care is provided to every patient under the program.
She also stated that the prime minister was keen to know the welfare of each patient and it is in this context that she was visiting homes of discharged patients.
In 2015, Rs 1 billion were allocated for the pilot project of healthcare which was initiated from Islamabad and later on was expanded to other districts.
More than 60,000 people living below the poverty line were issued special health cards under this program. The government had announced to provide Rs 0.3 million annually for the patient carrying health card.
Health cards were issued with the help of NADRA.
In federal capital, PMNHP services are available in private hospitals only because all four public sector hospitals including PIMS, Polyclinic, Capital Hospital and FGSH are operating under ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD).
The minister also spent time with their families and inquired after their health while, patients and families expressed happiness over the recovery of their loved ones.