Pictures of patients made mandatory for Sehat Card

State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan has advised the health authorities to take pictures of patients being admitted to hospital under Sehat Sahulat Program for ensuring transparency.

According to a notification issued here on Saturday, the requirement of taking patient’s photograph would be mandatory from April 25.

In order to enhance the gatekeeping mechanism and transparency in-term of patients treated under Sehat Sahulat Program, it is advised to all health facilitators (HFs) to capture a picture of patient before the admission.

All panel hospitals are advised to arrange a webcam at the HFO Desks, for identification management and records of the patients admitted under health card.

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All health facilitators would ensure capturing photograph through integrated webcam at health desk and avoid use for mobile phones.

In case, the patient is in emergency or unable to visit the HF’s counter before admission, the photograph may be taken with patient's consent, however, under no circumstances admission would be allowed without capturing identity.

This month a controversy arose when the State Life stopped treatment on Sehat Card due to the nonpayment of dues by the K-P government as it asked all hospitals to stop admitting the new patients.

This created a lot many problems for the general public in addition to inviting widespread criticism on social media.