ISLAMABAD: Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) in collaboration with Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM) on Thursday launched a beneficiary management system (BMS) for ensuring release of funds to needy patients transparently. The process will be paperless and patients and their attendants will not have to go through hassle.

Pims Joint Executive Director Dr Minhajus Siraj told Dawn: “Last year, the hospital had sent around 5,000 cases to the PBM, of which 3,250 cases were approved and an amount of Rs36 million was given to the hospital for treatment of deserving patients.” Even though the hospital gets nominal charges from private patients, a large number of patients still cannot afford to pay for operation goods etc. Usually, Rs30,000 are required for most operations and those who cannot afford the amount are asked to contact PBM.

“According to the procedure, a file is prepared on which verification of four doctors is required. Then after filing the case, patients or their attendants would get stuck between the hospital and PBM due to objections or missing documents, signatures, stamps, etc, which is why delay in operations had become a routine. Now a paperless system has been introduced; the process will be completed in a day and operations will be held at the earliest,” he added.

Earlier, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, while launching the system, announced that it was a landmark initiative for ensuring that poor patients would be provided financial assistance through PBM in a highly transparent and efficient manner.

The event was held at the Pims, as a large number of PBM beneficiaries get treatment at the hospital.

“The novel initiative of PBM and the ministry is in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the concept of Riyasat-i-Madina to provide support to those in need in a dignified and hassle-free manner. The system will allow for disbursement of financial assistance to poor patients through a digital platform to ensure there is no delay or interruption,” Dr Mirza said, adding the system’s software was linked with Pims and would be extended to other hospitals of the country.

PBM has been serving the poor and vulnerable segments of society for a long time. Individual Financial Assistance (IFA) is a major social protection scheme of PBM, wherein poor beneficiaries are assisted, while they go through challenging circumstances.

Financial assistance through this programme is provided for medical treatment, education and self-sustenance to the poor, destitute, patients suffering from chronic diseases, widows, students and persons with disabilities.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2020