Last Updated on: 6th October 2023, 01:16 am
Punjab Citizens With Utility Bills Of Rs10,000 or More Can No Longer Use The Sehat Card
The incumbent ministers of Punjab, Dr. Javed Akram, and Amir Mir held a press conference on Sunday to announce the changes to the health card system. They said that while he would continue treatment through the health card, not everyone was entitled to it.
Under the new guidelines, people traveling abroad with a mobile phone bill of Rs 8,000 or more or a utility bill of Rs 10,000 or more will no longer be eligible for free medical care on the health card.
The ministers explained that a person with such expenses is not considered poor. In addition, they mentioned that data on beneficiaries is collected by the Department of Social Welfare to ensure that resources are allocated appropriately. They noted that the interim government has no political agenda related to health cards.
Dr. Javed Akram, the acting health minister, pointed out the abuse of health cards introduced by the former Pakistani government of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He pointed out that this political decision was made in order to avoid exhaustion and to save resources.
A fund of 1,500 crore rupees has been set up to solve the problem and only public hospitals are offering free heart treatments. In addition, the government has decided to limit the presence of the Pakistani flag on the health card.
Acting Minister of Information Amir Mir said the health card program will continue with some restrictions. He acknowledged that the health card had been misused in the past, allowing some people to take advantage of it. He mentioned that the Sehat card system was originally introduced in 2015 during the Nawaz Sharif era specifically for worthy people.
Dr. Javed Akram also announced that CNIC ID Cards will be used as Sehat health cards to prevent abuse by health insurance institutions. He explained that some people have become millionaires by mining Sehat cards.
He also said data on Benazir’s income support program, designed for the poor, was incomplete. Unnecessary stenting has been identified as a problem with health cards.
When asked about the conduct of the elections, Dr. Javed Akram made it clear that the responsibility lies with the electoral commission and not with the transitional government.
Also Read: Sindh Free Health Card Apply Online 2023