Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Dr Zafar Mirza has said that Sehat Sahulat Programme would be extended across Pakistan in the next two years while the programme has yet not been started in Sindh due to opposition from the government of Sindh.
Briefing the media about the programme here on Friday, he said Sehat Sahulat Cards were currently distributed to deserving people in 43 districts across the country. Currently, 280 private hospitals throughout Pakistan were offering free medical and surgical treatment on Sehat Sahulat Cards, he said.
The Sindh government had still not adopted Sehat Sahulat Programme due to 'political and ideological' reasons, the special assistant said. "Political reasons are obvious. The ideological reasons involve a certain mindset in Sindh which is opposed to development and social welfare initiatives. Consequently, masses in Sindh, except Tharparkar, are deprived of benefiting from this remarkable social welfare initiative; Sehat Sahulat Programme," the special assistant said.
In Tharparkar, he said, the Sehat Sahulat Programme had been extended throughout the district for everyone, regardless of the social-economic status, to provide free health facilities as per the commitment of Prime Minister Imran Khan. "When the PM visited Tharparkar and learnt about adverse living conditions there due to drought, famine and absence of other facilities, he made a commitment that Sehat Sahulat Programme would be for everyone in Tharparkar and this commitment has been honoured. The programme has started there and people are receiving free medical treatment for all kinds of ailments including heart diseases, cancer and kidney dialysis, etc," he said.
Likewise, Dr Zafar said, the Sehat Sahulat Programme had been extended for everyone in the erstwhile Federally Administered Areas (FATA) without any discrimination. "Apart from Tharparkar, the programme is effectively operational in erstwhile FATA. Social welfare initiatives are the priority of this government in line with PM's vision. The initiatives like Sehat Sahulat Programme and Ehsaas Programme, for which Rs 192 billion have been allocated in federal budget, reflect this policy, to facilitate the people," he said.
Moreover, the special assistant said Sehat Sahulat Programme had been made available for all the persons with disabilities and the PM would formally inaugurate it on August 10. Under the Sehat Sahulat Programme, Sehat Sahulat Cards are issued to those people who belong to underprivileged segments of the society. These cards allow free medical treatment up to Rs 360,000 at private hospitals for both minor and fatal diseases.
The healthcare facilities include liver, heart and kidney related surgeries and other complex medical and surgical procedures. The Sehat Sahulat Card limit of Rs 360,000 is doubled (Rs 720,000) if the medical treatment of any patient requires further expenditure. The Sehat Sahulat Card limit can be further extended up to Rs 1,080,000 in total, if required, Dr Zafar said.