The Punjab government has taken significant measures to ensure the financial sustainability of the Sehat Sahulat Programme Phase-III/Universal Health Insurance in Punjab.
In response to directives from the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) and the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC), the government has suspended cataract surgeries under the Sehat Sahulat Programme in Punjab with immediate effect and imposed a 30 percent payment requirement for various vital medical and surgical interventions at private empanelled hospitals.
The decision, effective from 1 September 2023, comes after a flood of complaints regarding the use of substandard lenses during cataract surgeries and reports of malpractices in other medical procedures at private hospitals. PHIMC CEO, Dr. Ali Razzaque, stated that these measures aim to discourage the inappropriate shifting of patients from public hospitals to private facilities for simple procedures.
In addition to cataract surgeries, the 30 percent claims co-payment will apply to laparoscopic surgeries, cholecystectomy, hernioplasty, hysterectomy, appendicectomy, tonsillectomy, and trans-urethral resection of prostate (TURP) procedures conducted in private empanelled hospitals under the Sehat Programme.
To investigate the reported usage of low-quality lenses in cataract procedures, the government has formed a committee led by Prof. Dr. Asad Aslam Khan from King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore. This committee will assess the practices of private sector health facilities, lens availability, complaints of unapproved lens use, and the feasibility of using approved lenses within existing package rates.
The Punjab government remains committed to providing quality healthcare through the Sehat Sahulat Programme while ensuring transparency and efficiency in the healthcare system.
