Sehat card restoration from 1st of Ramazan

Medical Teaching Institute (MTI) hospitals are set to resume free treatment under Sehat Insaf Card in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from 1st Ramzan

The provincial government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has announced the reinstatement of free treatment facilities under the scheme across the region.

Sehat Insaf Card, a flagship project of the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in the province, faced criticism upon its suspension, drawing attention from locals.

In a significant move, the K-P government has allocated Rs5 billion for payment to the State Life Insurance Company, aiming to settle outstanding dues and restore treatment services.

Official sources told The Express Tribune that the provincial government owes Rs17 billion to the insurance company, with plans to initially release Rs5 billion followed by monthly instalments of Rs3 billion until the full amount is cleared.

An official from the health department assured this correspondent that all necessary arrangements have been finalized, emphasizing the government’s commitment to reversing the decision made by the caretaker government. The restoration of free treatment facilities is scheduled to commence from the 1st of Ramazan.

However, it’s noted that initially, only 85% of healthcare services will be reinstated, with procedures such as kidney and liver transplants subject to approval from the provincial cabinet.

The suspension of treatment on the Sehat Card last year, attributed to financial constraints, impacted services across the province, with only cancer and kidney dialysis treatments being provided free of charge under the caretaker government’s reduced scheme, significantly reducing monthly expenses.

The restoration of free treatment is expected to benefit approximately 10.2 million families across the region. Notably, there are 119 hospitals enlisted on the Sehat Card panel, including 60 public sector hospitals, with MTI hospitals also set to resume free treatment following the settlement of dues with the insurance company.

Background

In October of last year, the State Life Insurance Company ceased payment of claims to public sector hospitals operating under the Sehat Card scheme. This abrupt halt significantly impacted the revenue of these hospitals, including the Medical Teaching Institute (MTI) hospitals.

Official sources revealed that due to this financial setback, public sector hospitals struggled to procure essential medicines and provide necessary free treatment to patients. An official explained that the insurance company formally communicated to the chief of the Social Health Protection Initiative, stating that the outstanding dues under the Sehat Card had accumulated to a staggering Rs30 billion. The insurance company insisted that claims would only be settled upon the release of funds by the provincial government.

The insurance company specifically demanded that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government disburse at least Rs10 billion in funds.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2024.