PTI to launch health insurance in zone one of KPK from Oct 31

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday announced to launch the health insurance worth Rs1 million in part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from October 31.

Zone one includes all residents of Swat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Malakand and Chitral, who will start receiving free health services regardless of their financial status from October 31.

Revealing the news on its social media platforms, the ruling party wrote: “1,000,000 rupees Health Insurance will be given to all families of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

Mentioning the eligibility criteria, the party said: CNIC of every KP citizen will be their Health Insurance Card. Services of empaneled Private and Government hospitals can be availed across Pakistan.

The move is part of party’s Sehat Sahulat Programme initiative.

Back in August, Prime Minister Imran Khan addressing the launching ceremony said that the step will "put pressure" on other provinces as well.

He said that he will push the idea in Punjab as well, where the PTI is in power and will also suggest the Balochistan government to launch a similar initiative in the province.

Under the programme, each family will receive health coverage of Rs1 million per year. Both public and private hospitals designated by the programme will provide free treatment to residents of the province.

State Life Insurance Corporation, which has been selected after a competitive bidding process, will be paid Rs2,849 per family annually.

It will be followed by Hazara division in November, Mardan and Peshawar in December and Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan in January when the whole population of the province will receive free medical services.

The first phase of the programme was launched in 2015 that covered three per cent of the population (100,000 families in four districts) of the province.