Government plans to issue health cards to Karachi's residents

KARACHI: The Government of Pakistan plans to give residents of Karachi the National Health Card, estimating that the facility would cost only Rs16 billion yearly.

An official from the Ministry of National Health Services, Pakistan, stated that the facility would serve permanent inhabitants of Karachi and that the initiative could be started even if the Government of Sindh refused to participate.

It was further revealed that the government provides Sehat Sahulat Cards to all citizens. It would be discriminatory against the people of Sindh to deny them access to this facility, which benefits millions of people across Pakistan. Permanent residents have also approached the federal authorities and requested inclusion in the Sehat Sahulat Program.

The official asserted that over 700 hospitals across Pakistan were currently participating in the Sehat Sahulat Program, which he claimed resulted in a silent health revolution. The service of public sector health institutions had contributed to expanding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other federating units.