Minister seeks to quell anti-vaxxer propaganda

Kamal raises alarm over 3.6 fertility rate which could lead to social and economic challenges

KARACHI:

Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal announced that citizens from Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir can now avail free treatment at private hospitals under the government's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) initiative. However, he pointed out that residents of Sindh continue to be excluded from this vital service.

The minister made these remarks during the inauguration of the second Digitalised Health Centre at Jacob Line in Karachi's Saddar on Sunday. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to continue working on improving healthcare in the country. He emphasised that the launch of the new health centre marked a significant step forward in ensuring better medical facilities for the public.

He added that while the program is operational in all provinces except Sindh, the federal government has also launched it in Karachi.

However, he pointed out that citizens without a Sindh or Karachi ID card can access free treatment at private hospitals, while local residents in Karachi and Sindh are still excluded from the program.

Kamal stressed the importance of serving humanity, referring to a Hadith about an act of kindness where a woman quenched a thirsty dog's thirst, for which she was greatly rewarded by Allah Almighty. "Allah loves His creation, and alleviating the suffering of others brings immense rewards," he added.