Sindh health minister's criticism of K-P's Sehat Card rings hollow amid province's own healthcare failures
The Sehat Card Plus programme in K-P covers all citizens, regardless of income, ensuring free treatment in both public and private hospitals. Even if it focuses on hospitalisation, it still guarantees free life-saving treatments. What comparable system has Sindh implemented?
The Sindh health minister's argument is weak because it attacks an existing, functional health insurance system without offering a better alternative.
If Sindh truly had a superior healthcare model, its people wouldn't be forced to rely on expensive private hospitals. Instead of dismissing K-P's initiative, Sindh should work on expanding its own services, improving hospital conditions, and ensuring OPD access to medicines and specialists.
While Sindh has initiated programs targeting chronic diseases, including diabetes, challenges persist in service delivery. Data indicates that only 57.3% of women in Sindh made the recommended four or more antenatal care visits, and just 53.7% received their initial antenatal care during the first trimester, highlighting gaps in preventive and continuous care services.
Public hospitals are overcrowded, underfunded, and lack proper facilities. If Sindh had a fully functioning system for OPD and chronic disease management, why do thousands of Sindh residents seek treatment in private hospitals?
Sindh has approximately 41,082 beds across 7,651 health facilities, equating to one bed per 1,200 individuals. This ratio is less than half of the World Health Organization's recommended standard, underscoring significant overcrowding in public hospitals.
The Sindh public health system's utilisation rate stands at 22%, notably lower than the national average of 29%. This discrepancy suggests a lack of public confidence in government healthcare facilities, prompting patients to turn to private options.
A study revealed that 82.5% of healthcare encounters in Sindh occurred in the private sector, with 85% of these being outpatient visits. This trend indicates that a significant portion of the population incurs out-of-pocket expenses for private healthcare services, likely due to deficiencies in public healthcare infrastructure.
Patients in Sindh suffering from blood-borne diseases like thalassemia, as well as those battling cancer, face significant challenges in accessing essential outpatient services and life-saving treatments.
The Sindh Health Department has ceased the provision of free cancer medications in public hospitals. This abrupt halt has left thousands of patients without access to essential drugs, forcing them to purchase expensive medications out-of-pocket or forego treatment altogether.
Despite the enactment of the Sindh Prevention and Control of Thalassemia Ordinance in 2013, which mandates diagnostic facilities and blood transfusion services for thalassemia patients, implementation has been inconsistent. Many patients still struggle to access essential services, indicating gaps between policy and practice.
Despite the high prevalence of thalassemia, public awareness campaigns and preventive measures, such as carrier screening and genetic counseling, remain insufficient. This gap contributes to the ongoing transmission of the disorder and places additional strain on healthcare resources.
Instead of attacking K-P's Sehat Card programme, the Sindh health minister should confront her own government's failing healthcare system. While K-P provides free hospitalisation and critical care, Sindh's public hospitals remain overcrowded, underfunded, and unreliable.
Before criticising a functional insurance model, she should ask why millions in Sindh are forced to seek private treatment. Rather than engaging in political point-scoring, Sindh must learn from K-P, fix its broken system, and truly serve its people.
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