NICs made alternative to Sehat Cards

CM says ex-FATA residents can use identity cards to access free health facilities

PESHAWAR: Even though the apex poll body had halted the distribution of health cards in the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas until after the July 20 elections are over, the provincial government on Tuesday found a workaround for the ban, deeming national identity cards as sufficient for availing health facilities.

This was announced by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday while chairing a progress review meeting on the “Sehat Sahulat Programme”.

The CM was told that citizens in the newly-merged tribal districts will be able to use their identity cards instead of the Sehat Cards.

Sehat card: a step in right direction

He added that the provision of free healthcare to all citizens of the province was an important milestone towards the establishment of a welfare state.

Under K-P’s Sehat Sahulat Programme, every household is provided with free healthcare worth Rs720,000 in designated hospitals.

Mahmood stated that after extending the free healthcare programme to the entire province, K-P had become the first province in the country to facilitate its residents.

During the meeting, Mahmood directed the health and information departments to undertake efforts for creating awareness amongst the public to avail free healthcare using their national identity cards (NIC).

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2019.