Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday directed the State Life
Insurance Corporation to develop on priority basis a comprehensive strategy for
health and life insurance of the citizens in association with private sector so
as to provide cover to the poor strata of the society.
The government has to look after the health requirements of the poor and
destitute of the country on a priority basis as they are the most vulnerable.
He said this while chairing a presentation on health and life insurance given
by the State Life Insurance Corporation at the Aiwan-e-Sadr Spokesperson to
the President Mr. Farhatullah Babar said that Chairman State Life Insurance
Corporation Mr. Shahid AZIZ Siddique gave a detailed briefing on the health
insurance to the poor segment of the society, which was attended among others by
Mr. M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General , Ms. Farzana Raja, Chaiorperson, BISP,
Senator Syeda Sughra Imam, Malik Asif Hayat, Secretary to President, Mrs Nargis
Sethi, Secretary health, Spokesperson to the President Mr. Farhatullah Babar and
senior officials of State Life Insurance ,BISP and other relevant departments.
The President advised that the possibility of the involvement of world Health
Organization (WHO) in the proposed health insurance scheme be also examined. He
directed that as a first step the health insurance of BISP beneficiaries be
competed in at least four districts – one in each province of the country within
the next four weeks. The meeting was informed that life insurance have already
been provided to one million families registered with BISP. Similarly State Life
Insurance registers about tens of thousands of BISP families for life insurance,
the briefing was informed. The President said that the present government
accords priority to the development of health sector and provision of health
facilities to all especially to the needy, vulnerable and deserving people of
the country. He said that successful implementation of BISP has led to increased
recognition of the state’s responsibility to protect the poor from further
impoverishment through direct targeted intervention. The President said that
as necessary data of the poor persons has already been computed by NADRA for
Benazir Income Support Program so there should be no delay in providing health
insurance cover to the beneficiaries of BISP. He asked for also considering a
health cover particularly to those citizens who cannot afford the high prices of
medicines and medical care in Pakistan. The President called upon BISP to
continue serving as a platform for complementary social assistance program and
further streamline the Waseela-e- Sehet program for the vulnerable poor to cope
with potential health shocks. Online
