Historic health card programme facilitating weaker sections: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said Wednesday that a new system is being created in the health sector with the Health Facility Card and noted the current programme will promote private sector hospitals and help them provide their services in rural and remote areas.

The prime minister directed the federal and provincial governments and the State Life to set up special units for the Health Card Programme to monitor the implementation of the programme and resolve any issues immediately. In this connection, a review meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on the government's historic initiative in the health sector to provide quality health services to the people through the Health Facility Card. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant for Health Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant Dr Shahbaz Gill, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, federal and provincial secretaries for Health Department and other senior officials. A briefing was given on the provision of health cards in Punjab and KP, the number of beneficiaries and the expenditure incurred on this programme so far and the resulting relief to the people. The meeting was informed that through the health card in KP, millions of people have benefited through the admission of 210,200 in various public and private hospitals on which Rs5.3 billion have been spent so far.

He said that for the first time the present government has started a comprehensive programme realising the weaker sections in the field of health, thanks to which not only public but also private hospitals are providing quality healthcare to the weaker sections.

The prime minister directed the concerned authorities to promote the programme properly so that as many people as possible are aware of the programme and its benefits and benefit from it.