Islamabad (HRNW)- Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Prime Minister’s National Health Card, emphasized that permanent residents of Islamabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will now have access to free healthcare services.
He stated that nearly 10 million people across these regions will benefit from free treatment. Citing WHO statistics, Kamal noted that 13 million Pakistanis have fallen below the poverty line due to health-related expenses.
“No poor family will have to wander in search of treatment for their loved ones,” he said. “People will no longer have to sell household items or jewelry to pay for medical care, and no child will be deprived of treatment due to poverty.”
Over 1,000 public and private hospitals are included in the health card network, and under the Prime Minister’s leadership, every patient will receive emergency care or major surgeries with dignity and convenience.
The minister also requested that the next health budget extend the health card facility to 10 urban and rural districts in Sindh, which would cost approximately PKR 24 billion annually. He highlighted disparities in Karachi, where some residents receive free treatment while others do not, solely based on their national identity card, and added that he would discuss the matter with the Chief Minister of Sindh.
Mustafa Kamal stressed that Pakistan’s healthcare system has so far focused only on “sick care,” and that the goal of the health system should also include prevention. Practical steps are underway to transform sick care into a comprehensive healthcare system.
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