Health services need funding

 By MARGARET TALINGAPUA

The Government needs to increase its funding for free primary health care and subsidised specialist care to be able to see its effect, Health Secretary Pascoe Kase says.

Kase (picturd) said the Government allocated K20 million to implement the free primary health care policy, which was developed and launched early this year.

Speaking at the Consultation Implementation and Monitoring Council (CIMC) National Development Forum yesterday, Kase said K20 million was not enough to carry out the policy at all facilities in the country and so the funding needed to be increased to at least K50 million.

Presenting his topic on Experiences in implementing the Government’s Subsidised Free Health Policy and the way forward, Kase said even if the K20 million was available, it usually took “a very long time for the money to reach the facilities that need it more”.

“Proper budget has to be put in place for hospitals and other health services providers to give free primary health care service,” Kase said.

On the issue of health facilities still charging fees, Kase said the Health Department could not stop these hospitals from charging fees because they needed to stay in operation pending availability of funding from the Government.

Kase said that people must understand the difference between a free primary health care service and subsidised specialist health service.

“Primary health care is free but subsidised specialist health service is not free. 

“Subsidised specialist health services means patients will pay half the fee for services provided and the Government will pay for the other half.”

Free primary health care and subsidised specialist care is one of the Government’s health sector priorities. 

Others are health workforce, provincial health authorities, health infrastructure improvement, medical supplies, church health services and improved governance.