DERA ISMAIL KHAN/TANK: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will not need to spend money on treatment as they will get free services in the best hospitals of the country.

He said this while inaugurating the extension of Sehat Sahulat Programme to Zone 5 and 6, the last seven districts, to complete the coverage of all 6.7 million citizens of the province for free treatment.

He inaugurated Sehat Sahulat Programme in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Lakki Marwat on Monday and said that the mega project had been a success. He appreciated the staff of SSP for hard work and dedication in making health delivery possible to the entire population of the province regardless of their financial status.

SSP’s extension was started in November from Malakand. It was extended to the entire population of the province through a month-wise schedule.

Sehat Sahulat Programme extended to entire province

“From today, the population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has access to universal health coverage. KP-domiciled persons are entitled to receive free health services in public as well as private hospitals for all diseases,” the chief minister told the ceremonies.

He said that people could use their National Identity Cards to avail free treatment in the best health facilities of the country.

The programme aimed at providing cashless health treatment to the whole population in more than 300 hospitals selected through a transparent process, he added.

The chief minister said that liver and kidney transplants were also carried under the programme. He added that 300,000 residents of Dera Ismail Khan would benefit from the programme.

He said that government started the programme to provide free treatment facility to poor and needy families.

He said that under the programme, it would be possible to treat one family for Rs1 million every year.

Earlier, people used to take loans for disease but now they will not need loans for the treatment.

Health cards are delivered to people within 90 days. Every citizen will get treatment of Rs1 million in a year. Under the programme, patients of Dera Ismail Khan will be able to get treated in Multan, Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi.

The chief minister said Insaf Health Card would enable people across the province to get free treatment for all major and minor diseases in various hospitals.

He added that providing better healthcare facilities to the people of the province was priority of the government.

Flanked by Federal Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and provincial ministers Taimur Khan Jhagra, Ziaullah Bangash and Shah Mohammad Khan and MNA Shahid Khattak and MPAs Aghaz Khan Gandapur and Naseerullah Khan Wazir, the chief minister said universal health coverage to the entire population was in accordance with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of Medina state.

Speaking on the occasion, Taimur Khan Jhagra said that in addition to the health insurance of all citizens, the government would make recruitments and vacant posts of doctors would be filled in Tank so that local people could get healthcare facilities near their homes.

He said that government was paying special attention to improving medical facilities in public sector hospitals in southern districts.

Ali Amin Gandapur said on the occasion that a feasibility study of Tank Zam dam was completed and the federal government would provide funds to launch work on the mega project.

Eerlier, the chief minister announced that Rs700 million would be spent on uplift and beautification schemes while Rs300 million would be spent to improve road infrastructure and overcome the problems of shortage of drinking water.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2021