31 August 2021 – The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and Marie Stopes Society Pakistan has launched the “Sehat Sahulat Programme” – a pilot project for outdoor patient department health insurance in Islamabad Capital Territory. Under the pilot project, primary health care level outpatient services will be provided through general practitioners using the Essential Package of Health Services, including sexual and reproductive health and family planning services. WHO is providing technical and financial support for the implementation of the initiative through the Marie Stopes Society, an implementing partner for this initiative. In addition, WHO is also providing technical and financial support for monitoring the intervention’s quality through a third party, Contech International.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Faisal Sultan and WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala attended the event. “Paying for health services is a major barrier for women to access health care. It is encouraging to note that this pilot outpatient health insurance programme has included sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, in its package. This will go a long way in improving access to these services for women. WHO is proud to be a part of this process from inception and be assured of our unwavering support for the implementation of this initiative, as well as taking forward recommendations that will be generated based on the evidence from this pilot,” said Dr Mahipala.

Dr Faisal Sultan also expressed his appreciation of WHO's technical and financial support in advancing the universal health coverage agenda.

WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala expresses WHO's unwavering support to the Sehat Sahulat programme