Provision of Quality Healthcare Through Health Insurance Card

Jamshed Akhtar

Abstract

Healthcare delivery in Pakistan is provided by public and private sector. However, both failed to deliver quality care to the masses.1 The current socioeconomic status of Pakistan is such that majority of the population fail to afford private sector out of pocket expenses. Successive governments allocated funds and also encouraged public-private partnership to address the issue. Many national and international non-governmental organizations completed number of projects in health sector, as independent organizations and in joint ventures. These are mostly in the field of oncology, maternal and child health, public health etc. All these efforts, though commendable, but failed to produce desired outcome. The provision of healthcare is basically a responsibility of the government but due to number of bureaucratic hurdles and lack of accountability, a dismal situation persists. With the adoption of 18th constitutional amendment, probably in a hurry without any homework, the healthcare system was devolved to the respective provinces. The provincial governments were not prepared to face the challenge as they lack the capability and had no capacity to deal with it. It is apparent in their failure to deliver even basic needs and primary healthcare to the population.²………………