CM Buzdar approves universal health coverage for people in Punjab

(Karachi) Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has given approval to the universal health coverage for providing medical facilities to all citizens across the province.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Buzdar said that the Punjab government has decided to provide health coverage to all citizens and set a target to ensure the provision of medical facilities by the next year.

The CM announced that in the first phase, the citizens of the two districts of Punjab will be given the health coverage. He vowed that Insaf Sehat Cards will be given to each citizen to get health insurance worth Rs720,000. He added that it is the basic right of each citizen to get the medical facility.

He stated the decision to provide health coverage was taken in accordance with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan said half of the residents of Punjab will receive the government's health cards by the end of 2020 while the entire province will receive health insurance by next year.

The premier said it will be for the first time in Pakistan's 73-year history that a common man will be assured that he will have health coverage if someone in their family falls ill. The health card will allow its holders to get treatment at any hospital, government or private, of up to Rs1 million.