IN THIS POST
– About Sehat Sahulat Programme
– Benefits of Sehat Sahulat Programme
– Eligibility Criteria
– Application Process
– How to Use Sehat Insaf Card
– Contact Details
– FAQs
Updated: Jun 30, 2022
In a bid to facilitate the health card holders in Punjab, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Ministry of Health Services Regulations and Coordination have signed an agreement. According to this agreement, the health cardholder will be able to get swift service delivery using their computerized national identity card.
Moreover, NADRA will provide a ‘centralised information management system’ to the ministry in order for permanent residents of Punjab to access the facilities of the Sehat Sahulat Programme. The citizens of the province will now be able to use their computerised NIC as their health card which can be used at both government and private hospitals.
The digital solutions that will be provided by NADRA to the Ministry of Health Services Regulations and Coordination include data verification services, Centralized Management Information System, CNIC verification, outbound call centre services to gather feedback from beneficiaries, data hosting, allied services and hospital services module.
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Update (Apr 13, 2022):
While the health card initiative has been widely launched in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, the Government of Balochistan has also joined. Balochistan has also launched health cards under Sehat Sahulat Programme to make expensive healthcare within the reach of everyone. As pointed out by CM Balochistan Mir Quddus Bizenjo, this is the first time in the history of the province that an initiative this big has been launched for the masses.
The initiative that is set to benefit more than 1.8 million families residing in the province was launched during a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Balochistan and attended by provincial ministers, secretaries and various other higher-ups. The health card will provide coverage of PKR 1 million to every family who holds a computerized CNIC with a permanent address of Balochistan.
The health card can be used at different public and private hospitals in the province to get quality and timely treatment. According to the Secretary of Health Noorul Haq Baloch, cardholders will be able to get treatment from 500 hospitals in the province.
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Update (March 03, 2022):
Free liver transplants are now covered under the Sehat Card Plus facility.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra recently took to social media to share that three patients had received free liver transplants under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Sehat Card Plus programme, while three more operations are scheduled to be conducted soon. The first recipient reportedly belongs to Peshawar while the other two patients hail from Bannu and Buner, respectively. It is also worth mentioning that all three operations were performed in private hospitals across the province.
The health minister further said the cost of these operations goes up to PKR 15 million. Moreover, patients will be provided free medicines for one year to ensure complete recovery.
Furthermore, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has announced the inclusion of more treatments under the Sehat Card Plus scheme. While the programme already covered cancer treatment and kidney transplants, it has now been expanded to cover free OPD and liver transplants as well.
Update (Feb 22, 2022)
The most recent development in the Sehat Sahulat Programme is that the people of Multan Bahawalpur and DG Khan divisions are now eligible for free health facilities of up to PKR 1 million per family, according to CM Punjab Usman Buzdar.
The three divisions include the cities of Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Liyah, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Vehari, Lodhran and Khanewal.
Update (Feb 14, 2022)
One of the most important initiatives of the current government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Sehat Sahulat Programme, has been launched in the city of Faisalabad to provide health insurance to every citizen.
The initiative will support 3,200,000 families residing in Faisalabad to get the best medical facilities of up to PKR 1 million every year from both private and government hospitals. This is to ensure that the basic facilities are well within the reach of everyone, especially the less fortunate.
Also present on the occasion was Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and federal cabinet members. The health insurance facility will be made fully applicable for people across Punjab by March this year.
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Updated (Feb 2, 2022): Great news for people of twin cities and Bahawalpur. Prime Minister Imran Khan has expanded the scope of the ongoing health initiative through which people of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur will now be able to avail universal health coverage. With the help of Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card, citizens of Islamabad Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi Division (Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, and Chakwal districts) will be getting free treatment for up to PKR 1 million per year.
The facilities of the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card will be available at 43 public and private panel hospitals across Islamabad and Rawalpindi. People can now get free treatment of up to PKR 1 million every year for cancer, kidney transplantation, chronic diseases, thalassemia, complications of diabetes, heart disease, nervous system surgery, organ failure, and treatment in case of accidents.
Through Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card, all the citizens of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are already getting free treatments while the model is being replicated in Punjab, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh and Tharparkar. The facility will be launched across Punjab by March 2022.
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Updated (Jan 17, 2022): The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with State Life Insurance and Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) as a result of which people will get free liver and kidney transplants.
As per the MoU, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can get free kidney and liver transplants under Sehat Sahulat Programme. The provincial government will bear the expenses of up to PKR 5 million for liver transplants and PKR 1.4 million for kidney transplants per patient. While the provincial government has provided these benefits to the citizens, there are more in the pipeline to extend free health care for cancer and OPD patients.
Updated (Oct. 12, 2021): The health department of the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is signing contracts with major private health institutions in Islamabad and Lahore to introduce free kidney transplant facilities under the Sehat Sahulat Programme.
The authorities are also planning to include Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre to provide free medication for different types of cancers to deserving patients under the Sehat Sahulat Programme.
To learn more about this public welfare healthcare initiative introduced by the government, continue reading this blog!
Updated (Oct. 5, 2021): In September, a record 62,557 residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) were reportedly facilitated by the Sehat Insaf Card initiative.
“At this rate, over 600,000 individuals, or 8% of families could use the Sehat Card in this financial year, an incredible achievement,” KP Finance and Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra wrote on Twitter.
KP Sehat Card update.
In September, a record 62,557 residents of Pakhtunkhwa were facilitated by the #KPSehatCardPlus.
At this rate, over 600,000 individuals, or 8% of families could use the Sehat Card in this financial year, an incredible achievement. pic.twitter.com/K6TiHB4vMY— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) October 5, 2021
Updated (Jan 26, 2021): The Government of Punjab has approved the provision of Sehat Insaf Cards to all families residing in the province.
Speaking at the Seminar on Introduction of Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine by the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said the campaign for the issuance of Sehat Cards will start from 12 districts, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Mianwali, Chakwal, Pakpattan, DG Khan, Layyah, Rajanpur, and Mandi Bahauddin.
“By December 2021, Punjab’s all 29.3 million families registered with Nadra will be given Sehat Sahulat cards,” said Dr Rashid. “In the first phase, all seven districts of Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions shall be given cards. The Sehat Sahulat Card holders can avail free treatment services up to PKR 7.2 lakh. The card holders will be able to avail free treatment facility from all empanelled hospitals all over Pakistan.”
Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan recently announced that the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will provide a micro health insurance scheme to its entire population under the Sehat Sahulat Programme (SSP), according to major news outlets and publications.
Hailed as a ‘milestone towards social welfare reforms,’ the Prime Minister’s Sehat Sahulat Programme aims to provide free-of-cost indoor health care services to the enrolled citizens in a dignified and swift manner. Initially, the program was launched for the masses living under the poverty line, persons with disabilities, and the transgender community. However, as of now, all residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the newly-merged tribal districts are entitled to enjoy free access to good quality medical services without any financial obligations.
After bringing you a detailed analysis of the PM’s Ehsaas Nashonuma Program, we are now focusing on the Sehat Sahulat Programme 2020. Since this program has been introduced for the residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Tharparkar District in Sindh, here is a comprehensive guide on its eligibility criteria, the application process, usage of Sehat Insaf Card, and more.
Let’s take a look.
About Sehat Sahulat Programme in Pakistan
The Sehat Sahulat Program was launched in 2015 with an objective to provide the best medical and health care services to the underprivileged citizens of Pakistan through a free micro health insurance scheme. Since then, about 6,808,513 families have enrolled in the PM’s health programme.
The beneficiaries of this programme are eligible for all medical and surgical processes, hospitalization, maternity services, follow-ups and consultancy without paying anything out of their pockets. All they would need to avail these services is their Sehat Insaf Card, which is issued to all registered citizens and has a validity of one year.
According to the Dawn.com, each registered family will be entitled to receive a health coverage of up to PKR 10 lakh per year under the Sehat Sahulat Programme for the entire KPK province. Another noteworthy feature of this programme is that it includes both public and private hospitals. Moreover, State Life Insurance Corporation was selected to provide health insurance to the citizens of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the programme after a competitive bidding process. The insurance company will receive an annual amount of PKR 2,849 per family.
In October, the residents of Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Shangla, Bajaur, Lower Chitral and Upper Chitral districts of Malakand division will reportedly start receiving free health services regardless of their financial status. In the following month, the population of Hazara Division will also begin receiving the medical services. In December, the programme will be extended Peshawar and Mardan, followed by Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Kohat in January.
As per the Health Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Taimur Saleem Jhagra, the government plans to spend PKR 18 billion in order to offer free treatment and health care services to the 40 million people living in the 35 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Discussing the insurance scheme, the minister explained that PKR 2 lakh have been specified for emergency cases, general surgery and maternity services, whereas PKR 4 lakh are meant for diabetes, cancer, kidney diseases, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The remaining PKR 4 lakh is for a kidney transplant, chemotherapy, and other emergencies.
Benefits of Sehat Sahulat Programme
Here are some of the most noteworthy benefits of Sehat Sahulat Programme:
- The Sehat Insaf Card of Sehat Sahulat Programme entitles beneficiaries and their family members to avail free-of-cost emergency services, hospitalization, medical treatments, surgical procedures, maternity services, referral transportation, follow-ups and consultations. These services fall under the secondary care package.
- The priority package of PM’s health programme also covers diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, burns, organ failure, road traffic accidents, oncology, neurosurgical procedures, advanced renal diseases, dialysis, and chronic diseases such as TB and Hepatitis, among others
- On an annual basis, each family member of a Sehat Insaf Cardholder is eligible to get a treatment worth up to PKR 60,000 for secondary and PKR 3 lakh for priority packages, as per the official website. However, if the medical bills of the cardholder or their family member exceed that limit, their card can be topped off with an additional amount to cover the cost of the treatment
- Those enrolled in the Prime Minister’s Sehat Sahulat Programme will also have their hospital transportation, worth PKR 1000, covered thrice a year
- In case the cardholder passes away, their family will be provided with PKR 10,000 to help with the burial expenses
- Beneficiaries of this health insurance scheme can visit any of the government and private medical facilities mentioned in the list of empanelled hospitals on the programme’s website
Eligibility Criteria for Sehat Sahulat Programme
As per the official website for the programme, it was introduced to provide free indoor treatment to persons with disabilities, members of the transgender community, and those living below the property line (earning less than USD 2 per day) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. Meanwhile, all the residents of newly merged tribal districts and Tharparkar District in Sindh are also eligible for the Sehat Insaf Card of Sehat Sahulat Program,
However, as mentioned above, the programme was recently expanded to provide coverage to all the residents of KPK.
How to Apply for Sehat Sahulat Programme
These are the complete steps detailing how to apply for Sehat Sahulat Programme in Pakistan:
Step 1: Check your eligibility for Sehat Sahulat Programme by sending your CNIC number at 8500
Step 2: If you are found eligible for the programme, you will receive a text message on your card verifying your details. The message will also include your Sehat Insaf Card number and the name of the card distribution centre in your district where you can collect it from
Step 3: Visit the assigned card distribution centre along with your original CNIC or Special CNIC to collect the Sehat Insaf Card
Alternatively, you can apply for a Sehat Insaf Card online by visiting the official Sehat Sahulat website and click on ‘Eligibility Details.’ Once you are redirected to a new web page, enter your CNIC number in the relevant field and click on the blue box below to check your eligibility for Sehat Sahulat Programme.
How to Use the Sehat Insaf Card
Cardholders and their family members can visit any of the empanelled hospitals for their medical treatment. However, they must bring along the following documents with them:
- Sehat Insaf Card
- Original CNICs or Special CNICs of both the cardholder and the family member who seeks treatment
- Form B, in case the patient is a child
All you need to do is visit the representative counters for the Sehat Sahulat Programme set up at all empanelled hospitals. Show your Sehat Insaf Card to a representative and explain the reason for your visit. The representative will then guide you to the relevant department.
It is important to mention the treatment expenses will be deducted from the Sehat Insaf Card after the patient has been admitted in the hospital.
Moreover, the Sehat Insaf Card hospitals list is available online.
Contact Details
Whether you are looking for further details about the application procedure and benefits of Sehat Sahulat Programme or simply want to provide them with your feedback, here are the contact details.
Address: Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Hall 3A, 3rd Floor, Kohsar Block, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad.
Phone Number: 0800-09009
Email: sehatsahulatprogram@gmail.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the PM’s health programme:
Can anyone register for the Sehat Sahulat Programme?
Anyone who fulfils the eligibility criteria mentioned above can register for the programme. The easiest way to confirm your eligibility is by texting your CNIC number to 8500
How many times can a beneficiary use the Sehat Insaf Card?
A beneficiary can use the card until the cash limit is available. The financial limit for each beneficiary will be refreshed on an annual basis
In which disease cases can one use the Sehat Insaf Card?
You can use this card for the treatment of any disease after a patient has been hospitalized. However, you may need to confirm if your insurance company has mentioned any exclusions in the package
Will the child born in a registered family be eligible for this programme?
If a child is born in an empanelled hospital to a registered family, he or she will be eligible for the programme. On the other hand, if the child is not born in an empanelled hospital, the parents can register him or her for the programme by submitting an application and the child’s NADRA Form-B at the SSP help desk set up at different hospitals.
Will any amount be paid to the cardholder if the card remains unused throughout the year?
The Sehat Insaf Card of Sehat Sahulat Programme is only valid for indoor medical treatment and health care services. Beneficiaries cannot obtain any money if the card remains unused.
We hope our guide answered all of your queries about the Sehat Sahulat Programme 2020. Feel free to share your thoughts and comments with us by dropping a message at blog@zameen.com.
Meanwhile, you can also take a look at our detailed guides on the Kamyab Jawan Programme, Ehsaas Kafaalat and Emergency Cash Programmes and Pakistan Citizen Portal.
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Disclaimer: The information mentioned above has been extracted from the official website of Sehat Sahulat Programme and leading news outlets.
