ISLAMABAD: The Ehsaas Tahafuz Programme is an innovative health financing system which will enable people to receive universal health coverage so they do not have to spend too much money on health expenditures.

This was pointed out by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Senator Dr Sania Nishtar on Friday as she officially opened the portal of Ehsaas Tahafuz for empanelment of public hospitals under the safety net programme.

In a meeting held at Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, Dr Nishtar officially opened the portal (https://ehsaastahafuz.pass.gov.pk/). Secretary of the division, Mohammad Ali Shahzada and the Ehsaas Tahafuz Team was also present.

Ms Nishtar said: “Ehsaas Tahafuz complements the insurance-based Sehat Sahulat programme.”

The programme provides health facility to patients who are unable to receive treatment from the Sehat Sahulat programme due to a number of circumstances. It currently covers around 900 treatment packages across 21 departments. There is also a flexibility to add new departments and treatment packages requested by hospitals.

According to a press release, Tahafuz has partnered with 14 public sector hospitals across all seven federating units and covers “out of pocket expenditures” associated with pre-approved treatment packages. Hospitals on the panel include: Capital Hospital in Islamabad Capital Territory, Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, Nishtar Medical University and Hospital Multan, Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health Multan in Punjab, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar and District Headquarters Hospital Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hospital Quetta and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Hospital Quetta in Balochistan, Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences in Sindh, Regional Headquarter Hospital and Provincial Headquarter Hospital in Gilgit and Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

As per the criteria given on the Ehsaas Tahafuz portal, tertiary care public hospitals that are able to perform treatment for Tahafuz approved conditions can express interest in partnering with Tahafuz. Once details of the hospital are uploaded on the Tahafuz website, they will be reviewed by the Tahafuz team and if the hospital meets the criteria, a team will reach out to the administration of the hospital with the next steps which include signing of memorandums of understanding (MoUs). After the MoU is signed, a user ID and password will be created for the hospital by the Tahafuz team and shared via text message.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2022