PM Shehbaz launches health card scheme

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched the Prime Minister’s Health Card Scheme, providing universal health coverage to the residents of Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the launching ceremony in Islamabad on Friday, he said the government believes in providing health facilities at the doorstep of every individual, as healthcare is a fundamental right of every citizen of Pakistan.

He added that around ten million people in Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will benefit from this programme.

The Prime Minister further said this initiative is not only a step in this direction but also a revival of the Health Card Scheme, which was launched by his leader, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, in 2016 for the first time in Pakistan’s history. He said the services of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would be remembered for promoting this programme on a priority basis.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal said more hospitals are being included in the programme to facilitate the residents of Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister’s Health Card Programme, Arshad Kaimkhani, briefed that a CNIC, and a B-Form in the case of a child, will serve as identification for availing treatment at designated hospitals. He clarified that the scheme is completely cashless, with no requirement for payment or reimbursement.

Arshad Kaimkhani further explained that the programme has been designed on a third-party insurance model, and every hospital admission transaction can be tracked. He added that, at present, only hospitalization services are being offered through the card, and in the future, outpatient department and other healthcare services will be included in line with the Prime Minister’s vision.