CM says free healthcare step towards welfare state

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday said that provision of free healthcare to all the people of the province was a step towards the establishment of a welfare state.

Chairing a progress review meeting on the “Sehat Sahulat Programme”, he was informed that people in the merged tribal districts would be able to use their computerised national identity cards (CNICs) instead of Sehat cards for healthcare facilities. It is pertinent to mention that the Sehat Sahulat programme was launched by the provincial government earlier under which every household is being provided with free healthcare over Rs0.7 million in designated hospitals.

The chief minister said that after the extension of the free healthcare programme to the entire province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become the first province to facilitate its people by allowing them to use their CNICs instead of Sehat Sahulat cards. He added it was an important step towards facilitating the people. Earlier, the chief minister was informed that in all the district headquarters hospitals of tribal districts, people will be able to use their CNICs to avail free medical treatment. He was told that brochures and banners have already been fixed in all the district headquarters hospitals in the tribal districts, highlighting the facilities being provided under the Sehat Sahulat programme. The chief minister directed the Health and Information departments to undertake efforts for creating awareness among masses on availing free healthcare. He said the KP government was taking steps to facilitate the people of hitherto neglected merged districts. The chief minister added the government would ensure availability of all facilities, including uninterrupted power supply in hospitals in tribal districts bringing them on a par with other hospitals in the province.