PESHAWAR: The caretaker provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to put brakes on malpractices by private health facilities by restricting seven types of surgeries to public sector hospitals on Sehat Card Plus.
(Also read: How To Check Eligibility for Sehat Card)
According to the statement given by Dr Mohammad Riaz Tanoli to a private news organisation, about seven procedures would now be conducted only in government hospitals through the Micro-health Insurance Programme. After the approval, only the government hospitals could conduct common surgeries on health card that includes:
- Caesarean delivery
- Tonsillectomy
- Cholecystectomy
- Appendectomy
- Cataract
- Angiography & septoplasty
- Submucosal resection (SMR)
Dr Mohammad Riaz said that the decision barred private hospitals from carrying out these procedures to avoid malpractices and save the public’s money & health. News reports claim that the empanelment criteria would be approved by next week.
Regarding the empanelment of the hospitals, Dr. Mohammad Riaz said that the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) and Health Care Commission (HCC) would carry out the process. He added that the selection criteria had also been tightened, due to which many private hospitals would lose empanelment. However, he said that there would be no reduction in government hospitals.
Dr Riaz briefed that authorities including the adviser on health to caretaker CM & health secretary are working to implement a co-payment system that will provide free medical services to 65 per cent population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sehat Card Plus.
He added that the data of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) would be used for the provision of free services and after the co-payment system, the data of Benazir Income Support Programme will be used. Dr. Riaz explained that BISP will transfer data to Nadra before the launch of co-payment system.