PESHAWAR: Over 8,000 individuals have already availed treatment across various hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) under the Sehat Card Plus Programme since 1st Ramadan, says the provincial health minister Qasim Ali Shah.
He was presiding over a meeting held to review the Sehat Card Plus programme in Peshawar, attended by key stakeholders including the Sehat Card Plus Chief Executive Dr. Riaz Tanoli, Director General of Health Dr. Shaukat Ali, Director of Sehat Card Dr. Ijaz, and Fiaz Noor from the State Life Insurance Corporation.
Mr Shah, after receiving a detailed briefing, said the expenses incurred on providing free treatment to 8000 patients during this period have exceeded Rs172 million. Moreover, he said. State Life Insurance staff will soon be available round-the-clock at health card counters in hospitals.
He said that since the implementation of reforms in July 2023, expenditures in both public and private hospitals under the Sehat Card scheme have been effectively managed.
He said the highest expenditures have been recorded for heart diseases, totaling Rs18 billion, followed by Rs4 billion on C-sections, and over Rs3 billion on chemotherapy.
The minister emphasized ongoing efforts to enhance the project, ensuring free and standardized healthcare access for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Sehat Card initiative.
During the briefing, he was informed that the Sehat Card project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal Number 3 and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Policy 2018.
The province aims to ensure the provision of healthcare facilities to the citizens, providing them with affordable and free health facilities. Presently, over 10 million KP families are eligible for the Sehat Card Plus programme.