The public healthcare system is not delivering and the government is frustrated with it. Our country has a very unregulated & suspicious private healthcare system where patients aren’t really sure of what medical treatment are they receiving. In fact, they aren’t even aware of their health issues, they don’t understand the gravity of their situation and are religiously following what the doctors tell them.
In such a situation, how is it wise to privatise our healthcare sector? The health card available provides quick fix and easy solutions for the under privileged in our society. Now this health card is available for the consumer to ‘avail’ services from public hospitals in theory but in reality where are they? Or what kind of services are they providing? And if we are to shut down of what remains of public hospitals then the government will only be the buyer of a service which will be provided by the private sector.
In Punjab alone, the budget allocation for health cards is Rs.80 Billion & if things remain steady more people will opt for this option. If this happens there will be an apparent competition between both sectors with Private trying hard to provide better services to the patients. The days of untidy public-sector hospitals and their sluggish services will be over.
