LAHORE: Expressing concern over insufficient healthcare coverage for patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) under Punjab’s Sehat Sahulat Programme, health professionals and MS patient have urged Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to intervene to help them to continue their treatment.
They also urged the chief minister and health authorities to introduce an MS-specific health card to ensure uninterrupted and accessible treatment.
While the Sehat Sahulat programme currently provides up to Rs400,000 in annual healthcare coverage, medical experts say the average annual cost of MS treatment has risen to over one million rupees, placing a financial burden on families.
It may be added that MS is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects young adults aged below 40, particularly women, and causes recurrent attacks, impaired mobility and long-term disability.
Dr Athar Javed, a neurologist says patients are treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), which helps reduce relapses, slow disease progression and improve quality of life. He said a dose is administered every six months, with treatment typically costing around Rs1 million annually. He warns that interruptions in treatment can trigger relapses and potentially lead to irreversible disability.
Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) Chief Executive Officer Dr Ali Razaque, denied the suspension of healthcare treatment for MS patients. He said that the government would continue the treatment without any pause and the amount could be increased in the future depending upon the availability of the health budget.
When asked about the funding, he said patients generally receive Rs400,000 annually, which covers one dose of DMTs before the funds are exhausted. He said the Punjab government is focusing on increasing funding for other health initiatives, including programmes for autoimmune diseases.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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