KP leads provinces in providing universal health coverage

PESHAWAR
The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for providing affordable and accessible healthcare for all has become one of the main priorities for many low-and middle-income countries over recent years by advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
For achieving UHC, every country needs to develop its unique strategy in accordance with its context though the principles remain the same.
The government of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday made consistent strides towards the goal of expanding healthcare to its population.
To advance in achieving UHC in KP, the Health Department Government of KP is developing a UHC implementation roadmap.
The roadmap is necessary to fill the gaps in UHC implementation and to provide a consolidated and strategic direction for UHC reforms in the province.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the provincial government in health system strengthening including improved implementation of Universal Health Coverage, through its technical assistance programme Evidence for Health (E4H).
The E4H team under the leadership of Dr Zafar Mirza former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Health is working to develop a UHC implementation roadmap with a strategic plan for KP.
In this regard, a consultative workshop was organised in Peshawar to get inputs from all the relevant stakeholders on the draft roadmap.
The framework for action for UHC roadmap seeks to realize the goal of the UHC in the province of KP through a whole of health system approach and for whole of the population.
The consultative workshop was participated by senior officials of KP Health Department and representatives of international organizations.
The Minister for Health KP Syed Qasim Ali Shah was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
The Minister in his speech emphasized on the importance of a UHC implementation roadmap and expressed his full commitment to the initiative as per the vision of the KP government.
He stressed that he considers it his responsibility to provide quality health services to every citizen of KP.
He also committed that he would ensure accountability at all levels in quality health care service provision to the population.
The Minister gave details of the health sector reforms being carried out by the government for achieving UHC particularly strengthening the Primary Health Care (PHC) services in the province. The Minster thanked FCDO and other donors who are supporting in the health sector reforms agenda of KP government.