Govt to undertake Int’l standard health survey: Miftah Ismail

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27 (APP):Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Dr Miftah Ismail on Friday said that the government has decided to undertake international standard health survey after every two to three years for the collection of correct statistics.
In a federal budget speech 2018-19 in the National Assembly, the minister said that keeping in view the necessity of authentic data in policymaking, an international standard dashboard has been established at the federal level.
He said that the government has introduced large-scale reforms in the health sector and it is the government’s top priority to provide quality health services to the people. Even after devolution of health function to provinces, the federal government cannot abdicate itself from responsibilities in this sector, he added.
Miftah Ismail said that for the first time, poor people are being provided with quality health services through the Prime Minister’s Health Programme. Under this program 3,000,000 families in 41 districts have been provided free of cost services in public and private hospitals.
He said that the scope of this program is being expanded to all districts in the country and expressed the hope that this program would help in achieving targets of sustainable development goals and universal health coverage.
He said that in view of increasing cases of hepatitis, a national hepatitis strategic framework has been developed together with the provinces while the prices of hepatitis drugs have been brought to the lowest level and its production in the country is encouraged.
He said that un-interrupted supply of vaccines has been ensured through the vaccination program for mothers and children, and its storage and distribution systems are ISO certified.
He said that the production of vaccines in National Institute of Health has made as per international standards. The production which was earlier un-operational, has been made operational, he added.