Quetta - Balochistan Chief Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana on Wednesday expressed the need of launching of Ehsaas Tahafuz program in Quetta, after its successful completion of pilot phase in Islamabad, during his meeting with the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PASS) Division Secretary.
The Balochistan chief secretary held a meeting with PASS Division Secretary Muhammad Ali Shahzada in Islamabad to discuss Ehsaas Tahafuz, a healthcare program for needy and deserving people. 
He said the program may also be launched in the provincial capital of Balochistan for which the provincial government was willing to extend due support to the PASS division.
The PASS Division secretary apprised the Balochistan chief secretary that public sector tertiary hospitals in Quetta have already been contacted for the purpose and keeping in view the serious desires of the provincial governments, the program will be started in November 2021. 
He said the PASS Division has already put in place the HR and other infrastructures required for the purpose to achieve efficient implementation of the program.  
He assured the Balochistan chief secretary of due support from the federal government to provide required health facilities to the deserving people in the province.   The federal government has launched the Program for providing healthcare to the needy and deserving throughout the country. 
The Program which has been launched with financial allocation of Rs 2 billion, envisages provision of healthcare facilities in collaboration with tertiary hospitals of the governments.  
Under the Program, health facility was provided to the needy in around 1000 health treatment packages.  The program has already successfully completed its pilot phase in Islamabad and now has been extended to all provincial capitals. The chief secretary also expressed his desire that the program may be extended to other remote areas of Balochistan as well where the prevalence of poverty was much higher than the rest of the country.