ISLAMABAD - The government is all set to shift the fatal disease program - a financial assistance for the poor patients of kidney, liver and bone marrow transplant - to Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM).
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan told the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Friday a summary to shift the fatal diseases programme has been tabled in the cabinet and after approval from Prime Minister it will be shifted from Prime Minister’s Grievances Cell to the PBM.
He said that the medical assistance for kidney, liver and bone marrow transplant has been shifted to PBM as it has required infrastructure and is already providing assistance to patients. He informed the meeting the approval of transfer is expected in one month.
The fatal disease program provides financial assistance to kidney liver and bone marrow transplant patients under Prime Minister’s cell. It provides medical assistance up to Rs. 40 million, while PBM’s upper ceiling for financial assistance is only Rs. one million.
The committee members suggested that since patients of kidney liver and bone marrow need urgent treatment, the procedure of assistance must be completed within 15 days. The minister agreed that a mechanism should be devised that PBM complete all paperwork in 20 days.
Responding to a query regarding province-wise resolved cases of lever transplantation patients along with successful rate, mortality rate of hospitals and the amount spent on 200 patients of lever transplantation, the minister said that he will provide details in the next meeting. Khan also apprised the members that many public grievances and issues have been resolved due to his frequent visits to different cities and through open katcheries. He further informed the Committee that present government redressed 12000 complaints. He clarified that no funds were allocated for this programme since May 2018 on the direction of Prime Minister due to observations and issues raised by the Audit. This programme is being restructured. He added that 70% expenditures will be borne by the government and 30% by the patients in this regard. The Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs apprised the Committee that 91 cases of lever transplantation from Shifa, 26 cases from Sheikh Zayed Hospital, 11 from Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, 4 cases from Gumbat Hospital and 2 from Dove Hospital were operated with the total cost of Rs.498 million.