Punjab denies reports of halting Health Card scheme in private hospitals

Caretaker Health Minister of Punjab, Dr Javed Akram, has refuted news reports suggesting the discontinuation of the Health Card scheme in private hospitals.

Dr Akram clarified that there are no plans to stop the health cards and assured that cardiology facilities will not be restricted, Express News reported on Saturday.

Emphasising the government's commitment to providing healthcare benefits to genuine beneficiaries, he stated that cardiology services will continue uninterrupted in all government hospitals across Punjab through the Health Card programme.

Dr Akram further revealed that the Punjab government is in the process of finalising a new agreement with the State Life Insurance Company to enhance the provision of healthcare facilities to the people of Punjab through health cards.

The agreement aims to introduce more improvements and ensure efficient service delivery.

Sources within the Punjab government had told The Express Tribune earlier this week that treatment facilities under the health card scheme would be curtailed, including the discontinuation of gynecological services in private hospitals.

According to the sources, recommendations were submitted to the Punjab government regarding amendments to the approved health card policy. The proposed revisions are expected to limit medical facilities to benefit only the economically disadvantaged citizens. As part of these recommendations, gynecological services in private hospitals were allegedly proposed to be discontinued starting in July.

Read more: Govt to keep a rein on Health Card scheme

Additionally, it was suggested that heart patients utilising private hospitals should bear 30% of the treatment costs. The revised policy would ensure that free treatment is limited to individuals with a monthly income of less than Rs65,000 in Punjab, while the threshold for free treatment in private hospitals would be set at Rs60,000.

While the Punjab government has allocated Rs15 billion in the annual budget for health card facilities, a substantial amount of Rs111 billion has already been spent on treatment in both government and private hospitals.

Responding to the concerns, a spokesperson from the provincial health department reiterated the government's commitment to providing uninterrupted services through the health card scheme, emphasising their efforts to make it more beneficial for the poor. The spokesperson also noted that insurance officials are seeking strict monitoring of medical services provided under the scheme.

The health card program was introduced to provide medical treatment facilities to the public of Punjab. By utilising this card, individuals are entitled to free medical treatment of up to Rs1 million annually at public and private hospitals in the province. However, the recent reports regarding the closure and reduction of treatment facilities have caused distress among the public.

Haneef Khan, a government servant, expressed his disappointment, stating, "The health card was a significant resource for the poor and needy to access treatment facilities, and it was a successful initiative by the former government to provide ideal healthcare facilities to the public. However, this recent news about reducing facilities is a major shock for the public, especially during a time when people are already grappling with poverty and rising prices. It seems like an attempt to deprive thousands of people in Punjab of essential healthcare services."