Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday launched Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card scheme on Wednesday.
Under the scheme, all families of Islamabad, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Tharparkar will be provided free medical treatment at government and private hospitals.
The card will enable every family to avail healthcare facilities up to Rs1 million in a year.
Addressing the launching ceremony in Islamabad, the premier said that Pakistan is the only country in the world to introduce such a unique ambitious program for providing free health facility to its citizens.
“Through this card people cannot only get free treatment in government hospitals but also in private ones of their choice,” PM Imran said.
The prime minister said health issues create economic problems for the people and our vision behind this scheme is to at least relieve them of the economic suffering when they get ill.
“When people own their country, only then the country achieves the ideal of national security but when people are deprived of their basic needs, how would they think of the nation and national interest,” the premier noted.
Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan said that the Sehat Sahulat Card is a step toward a welfare state.
He said health insurance facility was being given to the citizens of the country for in-patient medical treatment for several diseases related to heart, cancer, neurological surgeries, accident, trauma and others.
The SAPM termed the health card a step towards the achievement of the goals of a socio-welfare state.
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar said 56 hospitals had been empanelled in the province to provide medical insurance facilities in 36 districts.
He said entire population of Punjab would get medical insurance by March 31.
Buzdar said that Punjab government is spending Rs400 billion for the scheme.
He said that 23 new hospitals are being established in the province including 8 mother and child hospitals while 158 hospitals have been upgraded.
“We want to make Punjab a model province in health sector,” the Punjab CM said.
