123,000 citizens to receive PM's health insurance

Cards will be distributed within a span of three months

HYDERABAD: More than 123,000 citizens of Hyderabad, who live below the poverty line, will receive the prime minister's health insurance cards. The formal launch of the distribution was held at a ceremony in Hyderabad on Saturday.



Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz's (PML-N) Central Vice-President Shah Muhammad Shah said the federal government will soon begin delivery of these cards in other districts of Sindh. "We are honouring Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's promise of supporting the poor families in Sindh who can't afford quality medical healthcare with these cards," he told participants of the event.

The prime minister announced the provision of the health cards during his visits to Thatta and Hyderabad two months ago. According to Mustafa Rajpar, executive director of non-profit Management and Development Foundation, some 123,656 beneficiaries have been identified for the provision of the cards.



The recipients can avail up to Rs250,000 of medical expenses at the card from four hospitals in Hyderabad that have been included in the project's panel. The hospitals include Isra hospital, Maajee Hospital, Red Crescent General Hospital and Red Crescent Cardiac Hospital.

Rajpar said that the distribution will be completed in three months. "The beneficiaries have been selected from the 2009 poverty survey. We are facing some difficulties in reaching out to the people who have either changed their addresses or contact numbers," he said.

The organisation is disseminating information about the cards and registration of new beneficiaries through campaigns in under-developed neighbourhoods. Seven card distribution centres have been set up in different parts of Hyderabad.