KP Govt Increases Health Budget By 200% During Five-year: Report

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government while taking series of steps to ensure better health services delivery in the province increased the health budget by 200 percent during 2013-18, the five-year performance report of the provincial government issued here Tuesday said

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd May, 2018 ) :The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government while taking series of steps to ensure better health services delivery in the province increased the health budget by 200 percent during 2013-18, the five-year performance report of the provincial government issued here Tuesday said.

A total of 200 percent increase had been made in the budget which currently stood at 30.2 billion whereas during 2008-13, the budget stood at only Rs 9.9 billion. In an attempt to provide people of the province with free and quality healthcare facilities, Rs 5.3 billion were allocated for the Sehat Insaaf Project under which 70 percent of the provinces' population had been provided with health insurance.

Figures made available by the health department indicate that a total of Rs 2.6 billion had been spent so far for providing healthcare to patients under the Sehat Insaf Card scheme. The services could be availed in designated private hospitals and 106 public hospitals in the province, the report said.

Additionally, the health department had also successfully completed 15 ongoing projects of the previous government due to which 2085 beds had been made available to patients in government hospitals whereas 15 additional projects are in its completion phase which will ensure availability of 2626 additional beds in public hospitals.

Similarly, as per the five years report, the allocation of budget for free treatment of cancer patients had been increased to Rs 1.9 billion. The scope of treatment had also been extended to cover all cancer patients whereas previously, this facility could only be availed by 800 patients having specific cancer type.

Currently, 3500 cancer patients could avail free treatment every year, the report added. The provincial government had also allocated Rs 925 million for provision of insulin and medicine necessary for diabetic patients and those having kidney diseases.

So far, 87,668 patients had been assisted under the initiative. Moreover, the provincial government had also taken measures to ensure provision of free medicine to patients.

Under the scheme, for the past three years, Rs 1 billion has been allocated to the emergency department of every District headquarters hospital and Medical Teaching Institutes, the report said.

In order to ensure provision of health services in rural villages, the present government had revived the basic health facilities in villages and had made them fully functional. Out of 111 basic health units in the province, 62 are currently working for 24 hours in different shifts.

According to the report, for ensuring access of patients to expert and professional doctors, tele-medicine initiative had been taken in five districts costing a total of Rs 95 million for purchase of necessary equipment.

This initiative was currently helping patients in villages to gain access to a board of professional doctors by connecting them through information technology. Currently, the headquarters for telemedicine initiative was Services Hospital, Peshawar.

The present government had also completed the construction of the provinces first ever burn & trauma centre costing Rs 2.2 billion and having 120 beds. The supply order for purchase of all necessary equipment's for centre has been issued and 347 posts of doctors and necessary staff have also been created.

The government has also introduced independent monitoring mechanisms of the hospitals in order to evaluate the performance of doctors. So far, Rs 3.5 billion fine has been levied on doctors and paramedical staff throughout the province on account of absenteeism, the report said.

Multiple legislative measures had been taken to strengthen the health institution in the province including the Health Care Commission Act, food Safety Authority Act, MTI Reforms, Medical Aid Act, Health Foundation Act, Safe Blood Transfusion Act, Protection of Breastfeeding and Child Nutrition Act.

These and many other legislative measures have been undertaken during the past five years to ensure institutional strengthening of the health department, the report added.