Last Updated on: 12th September 2024, 09:36 am
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced good news with Sehat Sahulat Card holders after problems over possible cancellation of the card by the insurance company due to late payments. The issue has now been resolved, and the company has decided to completely restore the Sehat card for eligible citizens of the province.
Sehat Card to Restore After Making a Complete Payment
After significant budget cuts earlier this year, the interim government announced in March the complete restoration of the Sehat Insaf card, which guarantees free healthcare across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In a recent press conference, Provincial Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah spoke about the Health Card Plus project and its return to free healthcare.
According to sources, the provincial government has paid Rs13 billion to the insurance company since March and Rs18 billion is still pending. Initially, the insurance company had suspended its services after the government failed to release the promised Rs5 billion.
Further discussions with the insurance company are planned with the participation of the Health Minister and the Chief Minister’s Financial Advisor Muzamal Aslam.
Get 1800 Free Treatments in 118 Hospitals
Health Minister Shah, along with Dr Riaz Tanoli, Chief Executive of the Sehat Sahulat Scheme, and Dr Ijaz, Director of the Scheme, took stock of the recent developments. Shah described the scheme’s success, which provides 1800 different medical treatments for free in 118 public and private hospitals. This initiative, which was originally launched by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, is ongoing with a monthly expenditure of around Rs 3,000 crore.
Also Read: KP Increases Sehat Card Rate Due to Rising Cost of Medical Treatment
Health Card Counters in Hospitals Reopen
For many residents who were previously unable to obtain health cards because they were not eligible, there is another piece of positive news: the provincial government is reopening Sehat Card distribution centres in hospitals. The Chief Minister announced that these counters would resume operations, supported by an additional Rs 5 billion allocated to the insurance company. He noted that the end of the health card scheme had a negative impact on people facing financial difficulties.
List of Hospitals Under the Health Card Program
Minister Shah clarified that the health card scheme is a long-term commitment and not a temporary measure. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, new growth opportunities will emerge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Health Ministry has released a list of 118 hospitals that participate in the scheme and provide free treatment services.
He assured that certain procedures will be monitored in public hospitals to resolve overcharging and other issues.
Also Read: Punjab Announced Big Update for Health Card Holders
Last Words
With the complete restoration of the Sehat Sahulat card in KP, eligible residents can now get a wide range of free medical treatment. The provincial government’s efforts to remove previous financial hurdles and reopen health card issuing counters are expected to provide important assistance to needy people with health services.