Pakistan National Bank of Health (PNBH)

Key Features

  • Health Account at Birth : Health financing begins at birth through NCRA registration.
  • Universal Health Wallet : Citizens can pay for services in any registered hospital/clinic nationwide.
  • Integration with NDH : Every health transaction (check-up, lab test, prescription) is digitally linked to a patient’s lifelong health record.
  • IInsurance & Risk Pooling : Acts as the national hub for health insurance, micro-insurance, and donor-funded schemes.
  • Transparency & Regulation : Ensures accountability in health financing, subsidy distribution, and donor project tracking.
  • Partnership Model : Operates as an independent health bank, but shares infrastructure with the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) by running a dedicated desk in every branch.

Phased Plan

  • Phase 1: Research & Stakeholder Engagement: Consultations with MoF, SBP, M/o NHSR&C, SECP, and international donors.
  • Phase 2: Policy & Legislation: Drafting the PNBH Act, financial regulations, and integration rules with NADRA, NCRA, and NDH.
  • Phase 3: Infrastructure & Technology: Setting up digital health banking systems, secure payment gateways, and mobile health wallets.
  • Phase 4: Pilot & Implementation: Launching PNBH desks in select NBP branches, linked to local hospitals.
  • Phase 5: Expansion & Integration: Nationwide rollout, full linkage with NCRA, NDH, hospitals, pharmacies, and insurance providers.
  • Phase 6: Monitoring & Sustainability: Audits, financial dashboards, and independent regulation by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Estimated Budget

  • The PNBH will require an estimated $100M–$150M USD for its setup, digital systems, branch integration, and national rollout, with funding expected from a public-private mix:
  • Government of Pakistan (seed capital & legal framework)
  • International development partners
  • Private sector co-financing (insurance companies, banks, etc)

Total Budget: 150,000,000 USD

Progress
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The Pakistan National Bank of Health (PNBH) is a proposed specialized financial institution dedicated to health financing in Pakistan. It is envisioned as a national mechanism to pool, manage, and regulate funds for healthcare access, social protection, and insurance. Unlike commercial banks, the PNBH will focus exclusively on health accounts, payments, and insurance coverage, ensuring that every citizen has financial visibility and access to essential healthcare services.

Nigehban Social and Economic Development Foundation serves as the advisor and presenter of this concept, ensuring integration with health, finance, and social welfare systems.

The PNBH will be directly linked with the National Child Registration Authority (NCRA) and the National Database of Health (NDH), so that:

  • Every child registered at birth automatically receives a health account.
  • Payments for healthcare services at public and private hospitals can be processed through this account.
  • Donor funds, government subsidies, and insurance premiums are digitally traceable and managed in a transparent system.