KARACHI, Aug 29: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the government is planning to introduce a health insurance scheme to provide relief to the common man.

Speaking at the 6th convocation of the Ziauddin University here on Friday, the prime minister vowed to ensure access to a doctor to every citizen through the scheme.

Mr Gilani said PPP-led governments had always made health a priority. “The principles of our health policy as per our manifesto have been, first, the guarantee of access to a doctor for every citizen of Pakistan through a national health service; second, the prevention of disease and, third, the guarantee that affordable medicines are available to all the sick and needy; and finally, the provision of good medical education and training at various levels for health education policy,” he added.

He claimed that the Lady Health Workers (LHW) programme, which was initiated by the PPP government, had been the most successful initiative in the preventive health sector over the last two decades. He said the programme had increased contraceptive prevalence and reduced mother and child mortality ratios.

The prime minister said that the government would extend the scheme to Kachchi Abadis and raise the number of LHWs to 200,000 over five years. “We hope to introduce a scheme for inducting 10,000 male health workers who will be introduced in parts of the NWFP and Balochistan as per our manifesto,” he said.

The government, he said, intended to initiate a media campaign on various aspects of preventive health measures to increase awareness on health, safe motherhood, hygiene and nutrition.

The government, he added, would ensure that 300 essential medicines were available at “affordable prices”. ZU Chancellor Dr Asim Hussain also spoke.