All you need to know about Sehat Card – Pakistan’s flagship health card initiative

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has launched the Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card scheme for the citizens of Islamabad, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Tharparkar (Sindh) to provide free medical treatment to all. This is the first-of-its-kind health program in Pakistan.

Here’s everything you need to know about health card:

What is Qaumi Sehat Card?

Qaumi Sehat Card (national health card) is the first universal health coverage project and the first step by the government towards making Pakistan a welfare state. Under the Sehat Sahulat Program (Healthcare Convenience Program), millions of Pakistanis from low-income families will be able to access quality healthcare, swift and free inpatient healthcare services without any financial obligations.

This health nsurance initiative is currently available for citizens of:

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (including merged tribal districts)
• Punjab
• Balochistan
• Islamabad
• Gilgit Baltistan
• Azad Kashmir
• Tharparkar (Sindh)

In Sindh, the facility is only available in Tharparkar currently due to reservations and refusal by PPP-led Sindh government over extension of the health initiative launched by federal government.

Who is eligible for the health card?

Currently, all citizens of Pakistan with a daily income of less than $2 can benefit from this program and receive free medical care.

All permanent residents of Islamabad, KP and Punjab are currently benefiting from the program which will be soon extended to other regions.

How to check eligibility for Sehat card?

To check if you are eligible for a Sehat card or not, send an SMS with your National Identity Card number to 8500 (9780 for KP). If you think you are eligible as per criteria but your name is not appearing among eligible individuals, you can contact the official helpline 0800-09009 and 0800-89898 for further assistance.

Note: If you are eligible, you can use your CNIC card as your default Sehat Card.

What’s covered?

Holding a Sehat Card allows you to receive health services worth up to Rs.1 million (10 lakh) per year at hundreds of public and private hospitals. You can use the health card to get treatment for:

• Accident
• Medical emergency
• Diabetes
• Kidney diseases
• Hepatitis B and C, and
• All types of cancers

Sehat cardholders can also receive free COVID-19 treatment.

Sehat Card Treatment Packages:

Currently, the following two treatment packages are available for the beneficiaries of the program.

1. Secondary Care

Secondary care involves Initial coverage of Rs.60,000 per family per year and an additional coverage of Rs.60,000 per family that can be used for:

• In Patient Services (All Medical and Surgical Procedures)
• Emergency Treatment requiring admission
• Maternity Services (Normal Delivery and C – Section)
• Maternity Consultancy / Antenatal Checkups (4 times before delivery and one follow up after delivery)
• Maternal Consultancy for family planning, immunization and nutrition
• Fractures / Injuries
• Post hospitalization
• Provision of transport to tertiary care hospitals

2. Priority Treatment

Priority care involves Initial coverage of Rs. 300,000 per family per year and an additional coverage Rs. 300,000 per family that can be used for:

• In Patient Services (All Medical and Surgical Procedures)
• Heart diseases (Angioplasty/bypass)
• Diabetes Mellitus Completion
• Burns and RTA (Life, Limb Saving Treatment, implants, Prosthesis)
• Last stage kidney diseases/ dialysis
• Chronic infections (Hepatitis/HIV/Rheumatology)
• Organ Failure (Liver, Kidney, Heart, Lungs)
• Cancer (Chemo, Radio, Surgery)
• Neurosurgical Procedure

Transport Allowance

In addition to the medical facilities, the health card also offers transportation support of Rs. 1,000 per family per visit thrice a year.

Step by step procedure of how to benefit from Sehat Card?

• STEP 1: Check your Eligibility

Check your eligibility in the program by sending your CNIC to 8500

• STEP 2: Get your Sehat Insaf card / Qaumi Sehat Card

If you are eligible, get your Sehat Insaf card from the card distribution center set up in your district. You can also use your CNIC as your Sehat Card.

• STEP3: Take required documents for treatment

First of all select the government/private empanelled hospital from the list of hospitals where you want to get treatment under Sehat Sahulat Program. Take these documents when you visit the empanelled hospital

• Sehat Insaf card / Qaumi Sehat Card
  • Original CNIC
  • B-Form (In case of child treatment)
• STEP 4: Use Qaumi Sehat Card for treatment

At the hospital, approach the dedicated SSP representative counter for further assistance. After verifying your Sehat Card the SSP staff will guide you to the relevant hospital department for treatment.

• STEP 5: Get free treatment

Once the patient has been admitted to the hospital, all the hospital charges will be deducted from the Sehat Insaf card / Qaumi Sehat Card.

NOTE: This facility is only available in case of patient needs admission to the hospital

• STEP 6: Give Feedback

Give your feedback by calling at 0800-09009. You will also receive a call from the SSP staff to know your experience and treatment received. You can also use the feedback form available on the program’s website.

List of empanelled hospitals

Some of the reputable hospitals where you can get free treatment using this card include:

• Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences – PIMS (Islamabad)
• Benazeer Bhutto Shaheed Hospital (Rawalpindi)
• Nuclear, Medicine, Oncology, Radiology Institute – NORI (Islamabad)
• Lady Reading Hospital (Peshawar)
• Khyber General Hospital (Khyber Agency)
• District Head Quarter Skardu (Skardu)
• Baltistan Surgical and Medical Complex (Skardu)
• Ayub Teaching Hospital (Abbottabad)

Click here to find the complete list of empanelled government and private hospitals where you can get treatment on a Sehat card.