Punjab caretaker ministers, Dr. Javed Akram and Amir Mir, declared on Sunday that the health card program would continue in Punjab but not everyone would be eligible to benefit from it. The ministers specified that individuals who travel abroad or have mobile phone bills of Rs8,000 or more would no longer qualify for free treatment through the health card.
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During a press conference in Lahore, the ministers explained that individuals with high mobile phone bills and significant electricity expenses could not be considered poor. The government would now gather data from the Social Welfare Department to identify deserving individuals for the program. They emphasized that the caretaker government’s decision regarding the health cards was not politically motivated.
The ministers further outlined the revised terms of the health card program. If someone seeks medical treatment at a private hospital, they would need to cover 30% of the expenses, while the government would bear the remaining 70%. Caretaker Health Minister Dr. Javed Akram highlighted the misuse of health cards, which led to the depletion of resources. In order to address the issue, an Rs1.5 billion fund has been established, and free heart treatment would only be provided at government hospitals. The government also decided to limit the presence of the Pakistani flag on the health card.
Information Minister Amir Mir clarified that the health card program would continue but with certain limitations. He mentioned that the program had been misused in the past, allowing some individuals to profit from it. The Sehat Card Scheme, launched in 2015 during Nawaz Sharif’s era, was initially intended for deserving individuals.
Dr. Javed Akram announced that Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) would now be used as Sehat Health Cards to prevent misuse of the health insurance facility. He alleged that some people had become millionaires through the misuse of the Sehat Cards. He further stated that the data from the Benazir Income Support Programme was incomplete and that unnecessary medical procedures had been performed due to health card abuse. In response to a question, the health minister clarified that while the caretaker government has its responsibilities, conducting polls falls under the jurisdiction of the election commission.
