Federal govt devises National Health Vision Programme: Senate told

ISLAMABAD, Apr 09 (APP):Minister of State for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Darshan Monday said the federal government had devised National
Health Vision Programme, which would be implemented with the collaboration of provinces.
Winding-up discussion on a motion moved by Leader of the Opposition Sherry Rehman regarding the healthcare system, the minister said primary and secondary health system had already been in place and there was need to further improve it.
He said health had been devolved to the provinces after the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment and the federal government now had only to play regulatory duty.
He said former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had also launched a health insurance programme to provide free healthcare facilities to the poor. Free healthcare facilities were also being provided to registered beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme, he added.
Earlier, speaking on the motion, the senators urged the government to devise a concrete strategy for the provision of healthcare facilities to the masses.
They also called for enhancing the health budget and complete devolution of health to the provinces. The government was spending less than 2 per cent of the gross domestic product on healthcare facilities, which needed to be enhanced, they added.
Those who spoke on the motion included mover Sherry Rehman, Muhammad Azam Swati, Mir Kabeer Shahi, Sitara Ayaz,
Dr Mehar Taj, Muhammad Ali Saif, Sardar Azam Musakhel and Sikandar Mandhro.