Govt health card facility 'fully available' in Lahore division, says Fawad

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry announced on Sunday that the health card facility under the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card has become "fully available" in Lahore division, adding that in next 45 days, all the families of Punjab province will be able to get treatment up to Rs1 million annually through the initiative.

"With this revolutionary programme, people's health expenses are no longer part of their budget, as this expenditure is being borne entirely by the government," Fawad said in a Twitter post.

Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the Naya Pakistan Sehat Programme in Punjab, announcing that the entire population of the province would be covered through the health insurance initiative within the next three months.

While addressing the launch ceremony of the initiative in Lahore, the premier said that Punjab's all residents will get the health insurance card from January.

Under the scheme, families can avail free medical treatment of up to Rs1 million per year.

"The Naya Pakistan Health Card is not merely a form of health insurance but represents an entire health system," he said.

In October 2021, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said that the scope of the Sehat Sahulat programme had been extended to the entire country.

Dr Sultan maintained that the Sehat Sahulat facility is being provided to the people of erstwhile FATA, Tharparkar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Azad Kashmir, and Punjab. He added that the facility provides free medical treatment through health cards under Universal Health Coverage.

The SAPM further said that all the permanent residents of Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan will get health cards from January next year.