Balochistan cabinet okays health card

1.8 million families will benefit from the decision

QUETTA:

Balochistan cabinet on Saturday approved the launching of health card for more than 1.8 million families across the province.

This decision was made at the cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Quddus Bizenjo on in Quetta. Provincial ministers, provincial secretaries and other high ups attended the meeting.

The cabinet discussed a 45-point agenda during the meeting, the Balochistan Minister for Communication and Works Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran said.

Under the health card, every family would be given a universal Rs1 million coverage to get quality and timely health treatment at public and private sector hospitals, Balochistan Secretary Health Noorul Haq Baloch told The Express Tribune.

He said that across the board every person with a computerized national identity card (CNIC) and permanent resident of the province would be issued a health card.

The handout released in this regard stated that the cabinet approved a teaching allowance for teaching faculty members of the PGMI and Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Quetta. The cabinet also okayed the Food Authority Bill, 2022.

Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, CM Balochistan Mir Quddus Bizenjo said that the present government made history by launching the health card to facilitate the masses across the province. He observed that all members of the cabinet have hailed the decision of his government regarding the health card.

Responding to a question, Bizenjo recalled that Jam Kamal government was removed because the lawmakers were not satisfied with him.

“If they have confidence in me, I will keep going,” he said.

“It is no issue if they change the government (and remove him),” he said.

“If I enjoy the support of majority, then, none can remove me,” CM said.

It may be noted here that the government-run hospitals across Balochistan paint a bleak picture.

The previous Jam Kamal-led provincial government made thorough consultations with the health ministry of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the federal health ministry to launch health card to support needy and deserving patients.

“After thorough discussions and deliberation, we have approved the launching of the card,” CM Bizenjo added while talking to reporters.

He maintained that his government has evolved a strategy to improve the state of health conditions across Balochistan. Bizenjo informed that the provincial government has allocated substantial funds to make sure the provision of better health facilities to the masses.

“Health card holders would enjoy free treatment in almost 500 hospitals of the country,” Secretary Health Noorul Haq Baloch said. He explained that the card holders would also enjoy free medical treatment in all hospitals of the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2022.