Sehat Insaf Card not a charity, says minister

RAWALPINDI: Sehat Insaf Card is not charity or any sort of benevolence from the government, rather it is taxpayers’ money going for the benefit of the people, said Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Dr Yasmeen Rashid on Friday.

Speaking at the launch of Sehat Insaf Card in Rawalpindi she said that 257,000 health insurance cards will be issued to people of the district.

On provincial basis, the health insurance facility will be available to 7.2 million people till the end of 2019.

The minister said that the basic purpose of Sehat Insaf Card is to accommodate such segments of the society who cannot access the health facilities because of lack of resources.

Yasmeen informed that through Sehat Insaf Card free-of-cost treatment facility worth Rs 720,000 would be attained from any hospital.The Minister said that patients can avail treatment facilities of head injury, neuro sciences, cardio vascular, sugar dialysis, hepatitis, liver, HIV, angioplasty, brain surgery and cancer through Sehat Insaf Card.

Sharing further details of the health card, she told that in case of non-availability of treatment facilities at public hospitals, the patients would be able to get treatment from private health outlets.

She said that about 40 to 45 per cent population live below poverty line and 30 per cent residents of Punjab consulted public hospitals in case of any health issue.

She said that the decaying system could not be repaired overnight and PTI government needed some time to fix it.

She said that steps are being taken to offer latest healthcare facilities to people in light of vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2019.