Govt decides to implement Sehat Sahulat Programme across Punjab

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to implement Sehat Sahulat Programme across Punjab, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The agreement in this regard was reached between the Centre and the province today (Feb 6). The ceremony of the accord was held at the Ministry of National Health.

Amir Mehmood Kiani, Minister for National Health Services, said all districts of Punjab would now be a part of the health scheme. “This is a big facility for all the needy persons,” said the minister.

He said around seven million families would benefit from the government’s health programme and it would enable those families to get quality health services.

“No poor family will now be compelled to sale their household accessories to be able to afford treatment at hospitals,” the minister underlined.

Kiani vowed the incumbent government would take along the entire nation towards health insurance. He said the government would also restructure government hospitals in Islamabad to enable them provide better health facilities.

He termed the Sehat Insaf Card initiative by the government as ‘revolutionary’. None of the governments in the past initiated such a big health package for the masses, he claimed.

On Feb 4, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the first phase of the countrywide Sehat Insaf Card scheme to provide free medical treatment to approximately 80 million people.

Over 150 hospitals will provide free treatment ─ including procedures such as angioplasty, brain surgery, and cancer ─ under this facility. The Sehat Insaf Card will cover treatment of all ailments except transplants.

The card, which falls under the PTI’s Sehat Sahulat Programme, was part of a health insurance scheme first launched by the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2016.