Yasmin Rashid announces 25,000 jobs in health sector

LAHORE: PUNJAB Health Minister Yasmin Rashid Sunday announced 25,000 jobs besides detailing the use of Sehat Cards that would be provided to the entire population in the province until March 2022.

Addressing a presser, Yasmin Rashid said that people not having NIC would not be able to avail health facilities from Sehat Card while B form of their children will also be necessary to ensure health facilities for the entire family.

We have also developed an application named Naya Pakistan National Sehat Card from where details regarding the health facilities could be accessed easily, she said, adding that 133 hospitals have been added to the list of health facilities alone from Lahore. She said that the website of the Health Card also carries information regarding process to acquire a health card.

The Health Card will be provided to the head of the family and he will be bound to register his entire family to acquire health facilities for them, she said and added that every district would have a special desk for Sehat Card. She announced that the Health Department would announce 25,000 new jobs in 2022 and more doctors would be hired by the private hospitals after 101 health facilities have registered themselves with the health department.

She asked the citizens to vaccinate themselves against Covid-19, saying 51 per cent of the Punjab population has been double jabbed while 71 percent received their first dose. She lamented that the citizens have been avoiding face masks recently after a decline in Covid cases and warned that the Omicron variant is surging globally and it is easily transmissible than other variants.

The minister said Naya Pakistan Health Card Mobile Application had been launched to provide necessary information and details regarding health facility to people. She said the mobile App would provide all the basic and necessary information to the patients, adding that the website of the health card also carries information regarding process to acquire a health card. She said that citizens'' record at National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) was mandatory to avail this healthcare facility.

The minister urged the family heads to get themselves registered with the Nadra to avail the health insurance. She said a help desk had been established in the offices of assistant commissioners (ACs) in every tehsil. Dr Yasmin said the people who had not received health cards yet were the ones who did not get themselves registered. Dr Yasmin said all medical facilities covered under the card would be indoor including treatment of major diseases. She said all details regarding it were available on the dedicated mobile application.—Agencies