Universal Health Insurance.

Healthcare is not a privilege; it is a right. Though the 18th Amendment failed to incorporate this right in Pakistan's constitutional framework, there is no reason why the state should not regard it as a right and strive to provide healthcare to all citizens without discrimination. While plenty of work has been done across provinces following the 18th Amendment which transferred the subject of health to provinces, the boldest move has now come from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where the PTI-led government is gearing up to offer universal health insurance.

According to the KP Finance and Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra, who is the pioneer of the programme, each family will be provided coverage up to Rs1 million to cover every individual in the province. This is a revolutionary step for several reasons. Firstly, implicit in the move is the acknowledgment that the state is responsible for providing healthcare, and citizens cannot be left at the mercy of the private sector. It is very much in line with the vision of a welfare state. Secondly, studies show that good healthcare has an overwhelmingly positive impact...