PESHAWAR: In a significant move to enhance healthcare accessibility, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has introduced free outpatient department (OPD) services under the Sehat Card Plus scheme. This initiative, launched on the special directives of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, aims to provide comprehensive healthcare facilities to citizens at their doorsteps.
A ceremony was held at the Chief Minister’s House to mark the launch of the OPD services, which will initially be implemented as a pilot project in the Mardan district. Approximately 50,000 deserving families in Mardan will benefit from this initiative, which offers free medicines, diagnostic tests, and medical consultations at OPDs. In the subsequent phase, the scheme will be expanded to Chitral, Malakand, and Kohat districts, benefiting around 120,000 eligible families identified through the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) data.
The pilot project is being supported by the German organization KFW and will be available at all primary health centres, rural health centres, and hospitals already included in the Sehat Card network. This marks a significant step in making healthcare services more accessible at the union council level.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur emphasized that KP has become the first province in Pakistan to offer free OPD services under the Sehat Card Plus scheme. He expressed pride in fulfilling the vision of a welfare state, a cornerstone of his party’s ideology. The PTI-led government has expanded the Sehat Card scheme, initially launched on a limited scale, to cover the entire province.
Gandapur highlighted that while the Sehat Card previously provided free treatment for admitted patients, OPD services were not included. With this new initiative, eligible OPD patients will also receive free healthcare services. He assured that the pilot project is being launched in four districts, excluding Dera Ismail Khan, to demonstrate his commitment to equitable development across the province.
The Chief Minister noted that the KP government has enhanced transparency and monitoring under the Sehat Card scheme, resulting in savings of one billion rupees per month. He credited the improved standards of government hospitals for restoring public trust, with 70% of treatments now being conducted in public healthcare facilities, compared to the previous reliance on private hospitals.
Gandapur also outlined other welfare measures, including the establishment of cardiac satellite centres across the province to address heart diseases. Additionally, the government is supporting the marriage of 4,000 deserving girls by providing dowries of Rs. 200,000 each. A life insurance scheme is also in the works, offering Rs. 1 million to the heirs of individuals below 60 years of age and Rs. 500,000 for those above 60.
The Chief Minister highlighted the province’s economic progress, citing a 55% increase in revenue and a surplus of Rs. 176 billion. He stated that KP is the only province to have met the fiscal targets set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), earning recognition for its financial discipline.
This landmark initiative underscores the KP government’s commitment to improving healthcare access and ensuring the well-being of its citizens, setting a precedent for other provinces to follow.
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