Govt makes progress on expanding Sehat Insaf Card scheme

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has made progress on expanding the health insurance scheme, ‘Sehat Insaf Cards’ to other parts of the country following the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, ARY News reported on Friday.

PM Imran Khan ordered concerned authorities to provide details regarding the issuance and outcomes of the Sehat Insaf Cards.

The government has completed cent per cent target of the issuance of Sehat Insaf Cards in the newly-merged tribal areas where citizens are using their computerised national identity cards (CNICs) for availing free healthcare facilities.

Read: PM Imran terms ‘Sehat Insaf’ program blessing for the poor

A citizen told ARY News that he is grateful for getting free medical treatment facility following the initiative of the premier. The citizen said he is getting medical facility through the health insurance card which was previously not possible due to heavy fees of doctors and hospital expenditures.

Moreover, 62 per cent of people belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province have also received the free medical treatment facility under the scheme which is allowing them to get free medical facilities till February 2020.

The premier directed to expand the scheme to all parts of the country by distributing Sehat Insaf Cards among needy people till 2020. The cardholder will get Rs720,000 health allowance while getting treatment from the government and private hospitals.

Read: All disabled persons to be provided Sehat Insaf cards: Zafar Mirza

In September, Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan had said Sehat Insaf Card and Ehsaas programme are the government’s practical steps to help the deprived, poor and needy and bring them onto the path of economic and social prosperity.

Ms Awan said under the vision of Prime Minister Khan these cards will be distributed among 15 million people in the next two years.

She said a total of 10.5 million families will benefit from Sehat Insaf Card. She added the needy will be provided free medical treatment in government hospitals up to Rs 720000 rupees under one Sehat Insaf Card.