Sehat Card payment to be paid on monthly installments: KP govt

PESHAWAR: At a meeting held at Chief Minister’s House Peshawar on Thursday, matters related to the implementation of reforms approved by the provincial cabinet to run the Sehat Card Scheme on sustainable basis and to make the payment of outstanding dues to State Life Insurance Company came under discussion.

The meeting was chaired by caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan and attended by Adviser to the the chief minister on health Dr. Riaz Anwar, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer of the State Life Insurance Company and other concerned authorities.

It was agreed in the meeting that in future, payment will be made to State Life Insurance Company on regular monthly installments. Relevant authorities of health department  were directed to ensure implementation of newly approved reforms in the minimum possible time.

Talking on the occasion, the caretaker Chief Minister said that his government was not only committed to run Sehat Card Scheme on sustainable basis but also taking concrete steps to this effect.

He said that the provincial government was facing financial crunch due to non-payment of due shares by the federal government on time, and that’s why the provincial government is facing difficulties in paying the dues to State Life Insurance Company, and added that despite the financial crunch, it was the top most priority of the caretaker provincial government to continue the provision of free healthcare facilities under the Sehat Card Scheme.

He maintained that all possible efforts were being made to make this scheme more pro-poor and sustainable adding that reforms have been introduced to this effect with the aim that maximum benefit of the schemes goes to the underprivileged ones. It was also agreed in the meeting that emergency operations would not be suspended under Sehat Card Scheme in any case.