ISLAMABAD - The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) Monday recommended two projects worth Rs. 345.626 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration.
The recommended projects also includes Rs332.845bn project for implementation of universal health coverage under health insurance program in Punjab which will enable the provincial government to provide insurance scheme coverage for 100% population of the province’s permanent residents.
The CDWP meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, recommended two projects related to health and education to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration. Secretary Planning Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh, senior officials from Planning Commission and Federal Ministries/Divisions also participated in the meeting while representatives from provincial governments participated through video conferences.
Rs332.845b project for implementation of universal health coverage under health insurance programme in Punjab also among approved schemes
A project related to health was presented in the meeting namely “Implementation of Universal Health Coverage under health insurance program in Punjab” worth Rs. 332844.878 million that was recommended to ECNEC for further consideration. The main objective of the program includes insurance scheme coverage for 100% population of Punjab for its permanent residents as per CNIC issued by NADRA. The scheme will provide cashless in-patient healthcare secondary and priority care services through an open enrolment policy. There is no limit to family size. The health insurance program is a hospitalization scheme mainly; daycare admission will also be covered in the program.
Household members of family will be able to avail following health cover, i. To access the secondary care hospitalization component including maternity benefits up to Rs.60,000 per family per annum. ii. A priority care component limited to Rs, 400,000 per family per annum. iii. The excess of loss coverage shall include provision of Rs. 60,000 per family per annum on top of secondary healthcare coverage iv. Provision of Rs. 200,000 per family per annum on top of priority healthcare coverage.
A project worth Rs. 12782 million related to Higher Education Commission was presented in the meeting namely “Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP)- Revised” that was recommenced to ECNEC for further approval. The period of completion and expected date of completion is 60 months. The main objective of the projects is to focus on is low and equitable participation for students from disadvantaged backgrounds; Poor quality of teaching and research conditions (including inadequate and irrelevant research, and limited links between HEIs and the industrial and services sectors of the economy); Below-par institutional governance and management, especially lack the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), which severely complicates long-term sectoral and institutional planning, monitoring, and accountability. These challenges are particularly exacerbated for affiliated colleges; Technical assistance Higher education policy development and capacity building through partnerships, regulation and funding of higher education sector and project management monitoring and evaluation, and Higher Education Data Repository and Data-Driven Services.