The federal government is planning to make the Sahulat Card a permanent part of its healthcare system. This decision aims to ensure long-term access to free medical treatment for underprivileged families across various regions of Pakistan.
Officials from the Ministry of National Health Services confirmed the move on Wednesday. The proposal has been sent to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval.
Once approved, nearly 2.7 million families will benefit from the Sahulat Card. These include residents of Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and the Tharparkar district in Sindh. Families will be able to receive medical services from more than 600 empanelled hospitals across the country.
Muhammad Arshad, who heads the programme, stated that the Sahulat Card will remain under federal management. He explained that this step is essential for providing reliable and quality healthcare to people in remote and less-developed areas.
The Sahulat Card covers a wide range of medical services. These include hospital admissions, surgeries, maternity care, and treatment for chronic illnesses. Both public and private hospitals that are part of the programme’s network will offer these services at no cost to the patient.
The scheme was first introduced to help low-income families afford healthcare. Over time, it has expanded under different setups in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, areas without devolved health systems, such as AJK, GB, and Islamabad, have continued using the federal version.
Officials believe that making the Sahulat Card a permanent federal programme will ensure equal healthcare access for all, regardless of their location.
The Ministry is optimistic that ECNEC will approve the plan soon. Once finalized, the programme will offer lasting healthcare security to millions of Pakistanis in need.
Also Read: KP Increases Maximum Limit of Sehat Card
