LAHORE: The Cabinet Standing Committee for Universal Health Insurance here on Tuesday said that all the deficiencies are being removed to ensure healthcare services to the patients under the programme.

Chaired by health minister Prof.

Dr. Javed Akram, the meeting was also attended by secretary health Ali Jan, Chief Executive Officer of Punjab Health Initiative Management Company Dr. Ali Razzaq, CEO of Punjab HealthcareCommission Dr. Saqib Aziz and other officers concerned.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof.

Dr. Javed Akram said several reforms have been brought about for improvement in the Sehat Sahulat Programme.

He said by taking important decisions, the deficiencies in the Sehat Sahulat Programme are being removed.

`We are not political people, so we only want the good of the people. We want to allocate health facility card only to poor people of Punjab,` he said.

Prof Dr. Javed Akram said Rs260 million were being spent daily on Sehat Sahulat cards.

Such a huge burden on the people of Punjab was unbearable.

As a result of the revolutionary initiatives in the Sehat SahulatProgramme, the caretaker government reduced costs by up to 50 per cent. The government spent Rs96 billion to improve the conditions of government hospitals across Punjab.

The caretaker health minister said 90 per cent of caesarean operations were conducted under the health card programme in Punjab instead of normal deliveries just to earn profit.

In the past, patients had two stents inserted instead of one under the Sehat programme, he said adding that the government was bearing 60pc of the expenses of the patients who get treatment on the health cards in the private hospitals of Punjab.

While rejecting the rumours to withdraw the health card, he said all types of emergency, dialysis,cancer treatment and trauma treatment are being done free of charge through Sehat Sahulat card.

The Sehat Sahulat Programme in Punjab was not stopped even for a day, Prof. Dr. Javed Akram said and added that rate of return of premium under the healthcare programme by the previous government was very low.

He said: `All over the world, the rich helps the poor and the healthy to the sick. In every cabinet meeting, the agenda for improving the Sehat Sahulat Programme came under discussion.

He said only licenced private hospitals are being paid under the Sehat Sahulat Programme in Punjab. `In order to improve the programme, we have to adopt thoughtful policies`, the health minister said.