ISLAMABAD, June 30: The health ministry has reimbursed a record amount of Rs50 million to 4,657 retired federal government employees on account of their medical claims for the financial year that closes on Wednesday. According to a press release issued here, this constitutes a jump of 40 per cent from the previous year. Keeping in view the plight of the retired federal government employees, the ministry constituted a special desk to scrutinize and expeditiously dispose of all the reimbursement claims of medical charges. It is for the first time that all medical reimbursement claims of the retired federal government employees have been cleared.

The health ministry was allocated Rs30 million for the financial year 2004-05 to meet expenses under payment of charges of medical reimbursement.

In order to clear all the claims pending with it, the ministry made a special request to the finance division for supplementary grant of Rs10 million and extra grant of Rs6.54 million respectively.

With the cooperation of the ministry of finance it became possible to clear all pending medical bills.

Meanwhile, a National Commission for Career Structure of Health Professionals has been constituted under the chairmanship of Health Minister Muhammad Nasir Khan.

According to a press release issued here, the commission would review the existing career structure of all health professionals including paramedics and submit its recommendation to the federal government for its approval and subsequent implementation by the Ministry of Health.

The ministry is working for improvement of the service conditions of health personnel by introducing proper service structure for them.

The high officials of the ministry are in constant touch with the representatives of all Pakistan Paramedics Staff Association to obtain their suggestions and feedback for incorporating the same in the proposed career structure plan for health professionals.

The service structure so framed would be effective and healthy to provide quality medical service to the people besides ameliorating the problems of the paramedics.

Furthermore, an opinion of different stakeholders and provincial health department is also being sought in this regard so that their views are incorporated while finalizing the recommendations.