Islamabad - The minister of state for national health services and regulation on Tuesday directed the officials to launch Prime Minister’s National Health Program in Mardan. The decision was taken in a meeting held here under the chair of the minister which also reviewed the current status of Prime Minister’s National Health Program.

The minister directed officials to start services for 33,000 beneficiaries of district Mardan at the earliest.

She said that in line with the vision of the prime minister to provide universal health coverage to all population, her ministry would leave no stone unturned to provide highest quality services to the beneficiaries.

She also appreciated the efforts made by State Life team, under the leadership of its Chairman Naveed Kamran Baloch, in helping her ministry to implement the Program.

The minister was informed that services for the 300,000 families of district Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad (Sindh) and Kohat (KP) have been started from 1st June 2017.

She was also informed that around 140,000 families of Bajaur and Khyber Agency (FATA) have been enrolled in the program while more than 1,000 have been treated from various empanelled hospitals across Pakistan.

She was also informed that Khyber Agency is one of the districts where highest ration of Coronary Artery Bypass (CABBAGE Procedure) has been recorded among program beneficiaries.

As per directives of the prime minister, the health program is working to provide free-of-cost indoor health care services to the families living below poverty line of $2 per day.

The program has so far enrolled 1.1 million families in 21 districts and provided services to more than 23,500 individuals through 92 empanelled hospitals.

The meeting was also attended by Muhammad Ayub Shaikh, Secretary Health, Dr Hashim Popalzai, Additional Secretary, Dr Assad Hafeez, Director General Health, Dr Faisal Rifaq, Director Technical, Nadeem Bessey, GM State Life and Mohammad Ashar, Project In-charge State Life.