Govt to distribute 10 million health cards by 2020

Over 5 million Sehat Insaf Cards have already been distributed among poor, says PM’s special assistant on health

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Dr Zafar Mirza on Saturday said the government would be distributing 10 million health cards among the deserving citizens by 2020.

Over 5 million Sehat Insaf Cards had already been distributed among the poor and destitute people, he said while addressing a seminar on prevention of diabetes related blindness here.

He said the government was also ensuring the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Sehat Sahulat Programme.

The special assistant said the government was focusing to improve primary healthcare system across the country, adding that the provision of better health facilities to every citizen was the top priority of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Over 50 per cent population of the country was living below the poverty line, he regretted and pointed out that some 0.9 per cent people in Pakistan were suffering from blindness.

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The government, he said, had initiated 'Ehsas Programme' with a cost of Rs200 billion to overcome poverty in the country, despite the fact that it (government) was inherited with the worst economic condition.

To eradicate the malnutrition in children, he said the government had planned to launch a nutrition program with the cost of Rs500 million.

The special assistant said lady health workers would be imparted trainings to create awareness among the masses regarding eyes protection. "With a successful eye donation campaign in Pakistan, we can meet our needs," he added.

Dr Mirza said Pakistan was one of the twelve countries across the world where best treatment of eye was being provided to the patients.