Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today informed the parliament that her government has a plan to bring all citizens under national health insurance coverage for ensuring health service.

As a part of the plan, the government is already implementing a pilot project at Madhupur, Ghatail and Kalihati upazilas of Tangail district by bringing poor citizens under health insurance coverage, she said.

The premier was speaking in the House while replying to a question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Rustum Ali Faraji in the prime minister’s question answer session. The answer was tabled at the beginning of the day’s proceedings.

The government has already formulated the Healthcare Financing Strategy 2012-2032 for ensuring the universal healthcare services, Hasina said.

In line with the Healthcare Financing Strategy, the government has undertaken a pilot project titled ‘Shasthya Surokkha Kormasuchi-SSK’ (Health Protection Programme) to initially provide the healthcare services to the poor at free of cost at three upazilas of Tangail.

Under the project, free health services are being provided to the poor for 78 diseases in the three upazilas.

“Work of spreading the pilot project to all nine upazilas of Tangail district is going on. If the piloting is successful the activities will be expanded throughout the country,” she said.

The government also has a plan to provide medicine and health service under the insurance scheme, said the prime minister.

A social health insurance project is being prepared for readymade garment (RMG) and tea garden workers with financial support from KOIKA, Hasina said.