Adviser to the Chief Minister for Health Services, Dr Abid Jamil here Thursday said that treatment under Sehat Card Plus program has been restored in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after successful negotiations with the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan. Addressing a press conference here, Dr Abid Jamil said that the caretaker government has released Rs 2 billion to State Life and another Rs 2 billion would be released after Eid ul Fitr.
He said the past government started the project in haste and without proper homework to ensure its financial sustainability which resulted in an increase in the premium amount to a significant level besides creating a lot of financial problems for the caretaker government. Abid Jamil said there was hardly any country in the world where free treatment was being provided to the entire population and taxpayers’ money was being spent on the treatment of influential and wealthy patients.
He clarified that the program was not being closed and would continue. He said the Sehat Card Plus program would be rationalized and a high-level policy board comprising members of the healthcare commission, health department and relevant organizations would be constituted to approve penal hospitals after evaluating their services, equipment and doctors’ strength.
He said recommendations of the policy board would be tabled before the cabinet for approval. He said efforts would be made to provide free of charge treatment under Sehat Card to poor people and exclude wealthy people.
