ISLAMABAD – in a sigh of relief for inflation-weary people, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department started free medical services in Peshawar and other cities under Sehat Card initiative.
Sehat Card Program was stopped several times during the caretaker government’s tenure as financial issues continued to hamper the free medical treatment.
The Micro-health Insurance Programme was first rolled out by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf in 2016, and was widely praised as treatment under Sehat Card ensures that everyone, regardless of their financial situation, has access to basic healthcare services.
As Pakistan is facing economic crisis, free medical treatment reduces massive burden, allowing masses to seek necessary care without worrying about huge hospital bills.
Meanwhile, the program has been restarted under CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s government, KP Health Minister, Syed Qasim Shah, said Rs10 million have been spent on 700 patients so far as the program covers treatment for hundreds of diseases.
This time, the government cut hospitals on Sehat Card panel from 180 to 118 to deal with overbilling. Despite facing arrears of Rs18 billion, the government aims to continue the Sehat Card program for the welfare of the people, the minister said.
Earlier, the suspension of Sehat Card program caused trouble to patients, especially those waiting for surgeries. The government further committed to paying Rs5 billion per month to the insurance company to cover the program’s costs.
Big news for KP citizens as Sehat Card facility being resorted; details inside
