Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, on Thursday directed the relevant authorities to formulate a comprehensive and practical plan to further improve and sustain the Sehat Card Plus programme, saying provision of quality healthcare to the people remained the government’s ultimate objective.

Chairing a meeting on the Sehat Card Plus programme, the CM reviewed a range of proposed reforms, including the possible inclusion of basic health units (BHUs), rural health centres (RHCs) and Category-D hospitals that operate round the clock throughout the week, said a press release. The meeting also discussed proposals to expand coverage for costly medical treatments and gradually increase service rates under the programme.

The CM stressed the need to prevent misuse of the Sehat Card facility and directed that hospitals be required to strictly follow a prescribed code of conduct. He said the ongoing revamping of BHUs and district headquarters hospitals aimed at providing quality healthcare facilities to people at their doorstep. He described Sehat Card Plus as a major public welfare initiative and called for measures to make its implementation more efficient.

The participants also agreed on the need to enhance the capacity of the Social Health Protection Unit. A proposal to introduce an optional top-up health package for government employees under Sehat Card was also discussed. CM Afridi said health and education were among the provincial government’s top priorities in line with the vision of Imran Khan. The provincial government, he added, was allocating substantial resources to provide quality healthcare facilities to the people.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)