NA panel demands restoration of Sehat Sahulat Programme

ISLAMABAD: The Sehat Sahulat Programme has been suspended in Islamabad and other federal areas due to financial constraints, raising concerns among patients who rely on it for free medical treatment.

This development came to light during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health on Tuesday.

The committee, chaired by Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, reviewed the situation and urged the government to take immediate steps to restore it. The session was attended by Secretary Health Nadeem Mehboob, CEO of the Sehat Sahulat Programme Muhammad Arshad, and other senior officials.

Secretary Health Nadeem Mehboob clarified that the Programme has not been shelved in Islamabad but remains suspended due to a lack of funding. He informed the committee that since January 2024, the government has not released funds, making it impossible for private hospitals to continue offering free treatment.

Muhammad Arshad, CEO of the Sehat Sahulat Programme, explained that until 2023, the programme was universal, allowing patients to receive treatment simply by presenting their national identity card.

However, due to financial difficulties, the service has been suspended in Islamabad. He noted that Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are still running. Arshad stated that under the Sehat Sahulat Programme, heart bypass surgeries were covered up to PKR 400,000. However, with the suspension, patients now face the full cost of such procedures, which ranges between PKR 2.4 to 2.5 million at private hospitals. He emphasised that the Programme was a lifeline for underprivileged patients.

Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai, explained that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has developed its mechanism to sustain the scheme. Punjab has also maintained its implementation. However, concerns were raised about the programme’s transparency in Tharparkar, where the absence of auditing personnel has created accountability issues.

During the session, Tarakai pointed out that if government hospitals had been providing better healthcare services, there would be no need for the Sehat Sahulat Programme. He argued that due to inadequate facilities in public hospitals, people are forced to seek treatment at private institutions, making the Programme essential for the poor.

Another key agenda of the meeting was the “One Patient, One ID” initiative, a digital system aimed at centralizing patient records. The Executive Director of PIMS Hospital expressed concerns over the system’s implementation, stating that hospital staff are struggling to adapt it.

Rana Imran Sikandar from PIMS Hospital revealed that the system has created difficulties in managing patient slips, laboratory test reports, and other essential medical records. He emphasized that the system is being managed by the National IT Board (NITB), whose staff have no direct affiliation with PIMS. Health Secretary Nadeem Mehboob suggested that all hospitals in Islamabad should adopt a unified patient identification system to ensure seamless medical record management.

However, he acknowledged that the system currently has several flaws and requested additional manpower for one month to address the issues.

Concluding the meeting, Chairman Dr. Mahesh Kumar directed that a separate session be held specifically to discuss the Sehat Sahulat Programme and its future.

He also instructed the Ministry of Health to take immediate measures to resolve the issues surrounding the “One Patient, One ID” system and ensure proper training for doctors.