Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card scheme will cost the govt Rs450 billion
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday launched the Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card scheme for the citizens of Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Tharparkar.
The program, aiming to provide free medical treatment to the registered families at government and private hospitals, will cost Rs450 billion to the government. Under the scheme, each family can get free medical treatment worth Rs1 million per year.
Addressing the launch ceremony in Islamabad, Imran Khan said the Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card scheme will bring an end to premium payment for universal health coverage, adding that both public and private hospitals will offer free treatment to the registered citizens.
“It is a very ambitious project,” Imran said, adding that the rich and the poor will both have free healthcare for the first time in the country.
Talking about healthcare insurance, PM Imran said this was the “defining moment in the history of Pakistan” that would shape the country’s path to greatness.
List of hospitals in Islamabad
• Akber Niazi Teaching Hospital
• Dr.sadaf Specialized Hospital
• Global Health Services Pvt. Ltd. (qih)
• Hbs Trust
• Islamabad Intl Hospital And Research Center
• Isra Islamic Foundation G. Limited
• Max Health Hospital
• Medikay Cardiac Center
• Nuclear, Medicine, Oncology, Radiology Institute
• Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences
• Rawal Foundation
• Riphah International Hospital
• Zobia Hospital
The premier also launched universal health coverage for families across Punjab. Imran Khan lauded the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for the active role played by the Punjab government in materializing the idea of health card. He said that without the cooperation of the Punjab government, the federal government could not have launched the project.
“Punjab is establishing five mother and child care hospitals to mitigate the high mortality rate of Pakistan,” he added.
The premier said that these are not just health cards but comprise a whole healthcare system,” adding that the introduction of the health card scheme will now put pressure on government hospitals to raise their standards. “If they fail to do so, then people would opt for private hospitals and the government hospitals will not be able to generate revenue,” Mr. Khan added.
In the next phase, the government is now seeking to improve health facilities in rural areas
“We will provide land on cheap rates to private hospitals and also remove duties on medical equipment in a bid to facilitate them,” said Imran Khan, adding that this is just the beginning and the next step will be education.
Around 56 hospitals have been enlisted in Punjab to provide medical insurance facilities in 36 districts of the province, said CM Buzdar, adding that the entire population of Punjab would get medical insurance by March 31.