KP govt includes life insurance in Sehat card

PESHAWAR: In a bid to ensure social protection for the people of the province, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday decided to include ‘life insurance’ in Sehat Card Plus.

He directed the relevant authorities to come up with a plan to implement his directives, said a handout.It said the chief minister was chairing a meeting on Sehat Card Plus.

Advisor to CM for Health, Ahtisham Ali, Advisor for Finance Muzzamil Aslam, Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Ikram Ullah Khan, officials of the Health Department and State Life Insurance Corporation attended the meeting. The meeting discussed various matters related to Sehat Card Plus.

During the meeting, the chief minister took notice of the complaints about the suspension of cardiac surgeries at the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology (PIC) under Sehat Card Plus.He directed the authorities to make sure the resumption of cardiac surgeries at PIC under Sehat Card. He said the government would bear the additional expenses of the cardiac procedures.

The chief minister directed the relevant officials to ensure that patients do not face any difficulties in getting treatment under the free healthcare facility.Gandapur termed Sehat Card Plus as a flag initiative of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government and said the health card would cover treatment of remaining diseases. He also called for ensuring transparency and accountability.

He added that the Sehat card was not only an initiative but a complete package of social protection. He announced that keeping in view the needs of the citizens at hospitals with good reputations would be added to the Sehat Card Panel, ensuring that people in remote areas also had access to free and quality health care services.

The chief minister said the government had been making payments to State Life Insurance Corporation for Sehat Card Plus on priority, and there should be no obstruction in providing free health care facilities to the patients.