ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, visited the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) in Islamabad to review the medical financial assistance provided to deserving patients under Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM).
Upon his arrival, Executive Director of NIRM, Dr. Shaista Habibullah, briefed the Minister on the institution’s performance and the individual financial assistance program. The Minister inspected various departments, including the Prosthetic Laboratory, where artificial limbs, hearing aids, and other assistive devices are manufactured.
Key Highlights of the Visit:
Increased Support: The financial assistance limit per patient has been raised from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 1.5 million.
Budget Growth: The medical assistance budget has been increased to Rs. 280 million for the current fiscal year, up from Rs. 227 million last year.
Impact: From 2022 to November 2025, 2,267 patients were provided treatment at NIRM through PBM, costing approximately Rs. 278 million.
Efficiency: The Minister directed that all medical assistance cases must be processed within one month, with a “fast-track” system for emergencies.
The Minister emphasized that the government’s priority is to ensure no deserving citizen is deprived of surgery or prosthetic treatment due to lack of funds. He also praised the Ramadan Relief initiatives by BISP Secretary Amer Ali Ahmed and announced upcoming visits to hospitals in AJ&K and Gilgit-Baltistan to further strengthen the social safety net.