ISLAMABAD: Health ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) took part in a video conference organized by Pakistan on Thursday to discuss coronavirus response in the region.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement after the meeting that all member states and the SAARC secretary general, Esala Ruwan Weerakoon of Sri Lanka, participated in the virtual session chaired by Dr. Zafar Mirza, the Pakistani prime minister’s special assistant on public health.
SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It came into being in 1985 with a stated purpose of regional and economic integration.
Sharing Pakistan’s perspective, Dr. Mirza underscored South Asia’s vulnerability to the pandemic on account of its high population density, fragile health systems and rudimentary disease surveillance, according to the statement.
“Issues including real-time sharing of information and clinical data, capacity building and training of medical and paramedical staff, supply of medicines and medical equipment, research coordination and enhancing cooperation with frontline international organizations including the WHO (World Health Organization) came under discussion,” the statement read.
Proposals to fast-track creation of linkages among medical universities, academia and research institutions came under review. Pakistan proposed greater coordination among health authorities of SAARC member states and activating the SAARC Technical Committee on Health and Population Activities, the statement said, “It was agreed to enhance cooperation in the health sector, particularly in the context of efforts to combat the virus at the regional level.”
On March 15, SAARC leaders held an online meeting on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to devise a joint strategy to control the spread of coronavirus in the region.
At the online meeting, Modi proposed creating a COVID-19 emergency fund to be used by South Asian nations to combat the spread of the disease.
Pakistan on April 9 pledged $3 million toward the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund to support regional efforts in the fight against coronavirus.
Pakistan hosts SAARC video conference on COVID-19
https://arab.news/cgrpy
Pakistan hosts SAARC video conference on COVID-19
- All member states participated in the virtual meeting
- Countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the health sector to combat the virus at the regional level
Two Pakistani men indicted in $10 million Medicare fraud scheme in Chicago
- Prosecutors say defendants billed Medicare and private insurers for nonexistent services
- Authorities say millions of dollars in proceeds were laundered and transferred to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani nationals have been indicted in Chicago for allegedly participating in a $10 million health care fraud scheme that targeted Medicare and private insurers, the US Justice Department said on Thursday.
A federal grand jury charged Burhan Mirza, 31, who resided in Pakistan, and Kashif Iqbal, 48, who lived in Texas, with submitting fraudulent claims for medical services and equipment that were never provided, according to an indictment filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Medicare is the US federal health insurance program primarily serving Americans aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger people with disabilities.
“Rooting out fraud is a priority for this Justice Department, and these defendants allegedly billed millions of dollars from Medicare and laundered the proceeds to Pakistan,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
“These alleged criminals stole from a program designed to provide health care benefits to American seniors and the disabled, not line the pockets of foreign fraudsters,” he added. “We will not tolerate these schemes that divert taxpayer dollars to criminals.”
Prosecutors said that in 2023 and 2024, the defendants and their alleged co-conspirators used nominee-owned laboratories and durable medical equipment providers to bill Medicare and private health benefit programs for nonexistent services.
According to the indictment, Mirza obtained identifying information of individuals, providers and insurers without their knowledge and used it to support fraudulent claims submitted on behalf of shell companies. Iqbal was allegedly linked to several durable medical equipment providers that filed false claims and is accused of laundering proceeds and coordinating transfers of funds to Pakistan.
Mirza faces 12 counts of health care fraud and five counts of money laundering. Iqbal is charged with 12 counts of health care fraud, six counts of money laundering and one count of making a false statement to US law enforcement. Arraignments have not yet been scheduled.
Three additional defendants, including an Indian, previously charged in the investigation, have pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud charges and are awaiting sentencing.
An indictment contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
