Latest news with #SehatCardPlus
Gulf Today
28-04-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
Pakistan's hospital starts administering new injection to save stroke-hit patients
ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) Peshawar has started administering a new injection to save lives of stroke-hit patients. "A 60-year-old patient, who has been administered the injection, is doing well as she was brought to the hospital within one hour of the attack and therefore stood better chances of recovery,' KTH medical director Dr Sajjadullah Dawar said, according to a report. He said that patients should reach hospital ideally within three hours of the stroke attack but the result of patients visiting the health facility within four to five hours was also good. Dr Dawar, a neurosurgeon, said that they got stock of the medicine from the hospital's funds to be provided free of cost to patients. "Meanwhile, the government has agreed to include this drug in the Sehat Card Plus (SCP) scheme so that people could benefit from it in the long-run,' he said. A volunteer of the Edhi Foundation sprays water on a passerby's head to cool off on a hot summer day along a road in Karachi. AFP The administration of the injection has already been started in Hayatabad Medical Complex and Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar that helped scores of stroke-hit people to recover. However, both LRH and Hayat Medical Complex administrations have been requesting the government to provide it on SCP because it is very expensive and the majority of patients cannot afford it. Dr Dawar said that the government would soon announce to cover the cost of new therapy under SCP to ensure provision of smooth services to patients. LRH and HMC have been providing the injection to patients on a cost-sharing basis. However, it has been provided totally free to some deserving patients but its inclusion in SCP will make this drug available to all the patients who need it. He said that they had developed proper protocol and a team of specialist doctors to ensure that the new medical technique for free treatment of patients suffering from stroke helped people. "The injection is known for saving lives of patients and protecting them from disabilities caused by stroke,' said Dr Dawar. He said that the tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) injection was used in hyper acute stroke within three hours to open up clotted arteries and was administered to patients after a very careful selection process. "So far, results are excellent as most of the patients, who received it in LRH and HMC, have recovered,' he said and added that people should bear in mind that patients should be brought to hospitals immediately. He said that stroke was a sudden onset of weakness in limbs or face, which was the most disabling disease of the world.
Express Tribune
20-04-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
K-P govt adds major transplants in Sehat Card programme
Listen to article The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has decided to include the treatment of three major transplant procedures — kidney, liver, and bone marrow — under its Sehat Card Plus programme. Additionally, the cost of cochlear implants will also be fully covered by the government. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister of K-P. Provincial Information Adviser Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said the government would now provide transplant and implant services completely free of cost, marking a major expansion of the health insurance scheme. 'This is another revolutionary step in line with the founding chairman's vision,' stated Barrister Saif, referring to the PTI's healthcare reforms. He added that services under this programme would be accessible to eligible citizens without any financial burden. The provincial health department has been instructed to implement these changes immediately. The government also plans to soon include rehabilitation services for drug-addicted individuals under the Sehat Card. In a parallel development, the K-P government approved regulations allowing the use of cannabis plants for medical, research, and industrial purposes. Earlier, K-P government launched free Outpatient Department (OPD) services under the Sehat Card Plus scheme. The initiative was officially inaugurated by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur during a ceremony held at the Chief Minister House. The OPD scheme began as a pilot project in the Mardan district, where it was initially rolled out to benefit 50,000 deserving households. The project was expected to expand in the second phase to Chitral, Malakand, and Kohat districts, eventually reaching around 120,000 deserving households in these areas, based on data from the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
Express Tribune
20-03-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Sindh health minister's criticism of K-P's Sehat Card rings hollow amid province's own healthcare failures
If the Sindh health minister is criticising Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) health insurance model by claiming it only covers hospitalisation and not outpatient care (OPD) for chronic diseases like diabetes, the key question is: Is Sindh itself providing these OPD services effectively? 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.
Express Tribune
13-03-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Sehat Card to cover drug rehab programme
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that the drug addicts' rehabilitation program will soon be integrated into the Sehat Card Plus initiative. A ceremony was held in Peshawar on Thursday to mark the completion of the third phase of the Drug-Free Peshawar program. Gandapur was the chief guest at the event, while members of the provincial cabinet, members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, government officials, and civil society representatives were also in attendance. On this occasion, individuals who had successfully completed rehabilitation under the Drug-Free Peshawar program's third phase were reunited with their families. The third phase was launched in November 2024, during which 1,239 drug addicts were rehabilitated. Among them were 13 women and 28 underage boys. The rehabilitated individuals included 611 from Peshawar, 536 from other districts of the province, 48 from Punjab, 10 from Sindh, and 26 Afghan citizens. This is the largest drug rehabilitation program to date, with a substantial allocation of Rs320 million. Speaking at the event, the chief minister expressed his joy at witnessing the reintegration of rehabilitated individuals with their families. He stated that the program aims to make the province drug-free and help addicts return to normal life so they can become productive and responsible citizens. The chief minister emphasized that this initiative is not limited to the province alone but is a nationwide and even global program, as people from other provinces and even Afghanistan have benefited from it. "We do not reject anyone based on their province or nationality," he added. Gandapur highlighted that this rehabilitation project began in 2022, and in its first two phases, a total of 2,400 drug addicts were successfully treated. This included 1,154 individuals from Peshawar, 1,039 from other districts of K-P, 170 from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, and 34 foreign nationals. The chief minister reiterated that his leader's vision is to establish a welfare state where the government cares for its people like a mother. "Deputy Commissioners only need to bring drug addicts to the relevant office, and the government will bear the cost of their treatment," he declared. He urged the public to hand over drug addicts for rehabilitation, assuring them that the government will ensure their treatment. The CM also stressed a simple definition of right and wrong: "Anything you cannot do openly is wrong." He further stated that drugs neither bring happiness nor peace; they only lead to destruction. True peace and progress, he said, lie in following the commandments of Allah. The chief minister urged people to fight against drug dealers and expel them from their communities. Police will support you. Inform them, and they will take immediate action. We must not spare drug dealers, as they are the enemies of our children and youth, he asserted. Ali Amin Gandapur concluded by emphasizing the collective responsibility to eliminate drugs and drug traffickers. He also thanked the business community for providing employment opportunities to rehabilitated individuals.
Express Tribune
21-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Gandapur challenges Maryam to debate
In what seemed to be a bragging contest, the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) touted their "great" performances while belittling each other's work, with the chief minister of the latter challenging the chief minister of the former to a debate. K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who belongs to the PTI, on Thursday announced distributing free laptops among students in the K-P, a move initiated by various PML-N led governments. He said his government would provide the same percentage of students with laptops as the Punjab government. In return, he urged the Punjab chief minister, Maryam Nawaz, to offer free health cards to citizens, just as the K-P government had done. "Our government provided the entire population with the Sehat Card Plus and is now offering life insurance. The Punjab government should also extend these facilities to its entire population," he said. Gandapur claimed that despite challenging circumstances, his government had increased revenue by 55%, urging Punjab to raise its revenue from 12% to 55% as well. He said the K-P government has a surplus of Rs176 billion in its treasury and is the only province to meet the International Monetary Fund's (MF) target. He pointed out that Punjab was given a target of a Rs300 billion surplus by the IMF but instead it incurred a Rs146 billion deficit. The CM said his government is facilitating the weddings of 4,000 underprivileged girls, providing each with Rs200,000. He challenged Punjab's performance, claiming it was not even 1% of K-P's, and declared his willingness to debate the issue. Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari stated that while it is often said that governments struggle to perform in their first year, the PML-N has raised the flag of success in both the federal and Punjab governments within just one year. "The Punjab government has already delivered remarkable results, sending a clear message to all provinces to compete in the politics of public service," she said during a press conference at the DGPR, accompanied by Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq. According to Bukhari, when someone has nothing substantial to say, he resorts to insults. " The public no longer wants abusive rhetoric, chaos, arson, or attacks on the federation. Other provinces should also initiate projects similar to those in Punjab." She criticized so-called journalists and analysts who once claimed that PML-N had lost relevance but now dismiss the party's rallies as unsuccessful. Bukhari said under the leadership of Maryam Nawaz, Punjab's first year in office has been marked by historic achievements and exemplary public service.
