Anwar Khan
The facility of free treatment on Sehat Insaaf Card is feared to be affected as the major hospitals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are facing the problem of lack of funds, reported the Tribal News Network (TNN).
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has sent a letter to the Finance Department requesting it to release 20 billion rupees immediately.
If funds, as stated in the letter, are not released, the facility of free treatment on Sehat Insaaf card in the medical teaching institutes of the province is also feared to be affected. In the current fiscal year, 46 billion rupees were allocated for MTIs of which only 25 billion rupees have been released so far.
Lady Reading, the largest hospital in the province, is also facing financial problems due to a lack of funds.
Yesterday, hospital spokesperson Asim said in a statement that several ongoing projects in MTILRH have been suspended due to a lack of funds. Employees are also facing difficulties in the timely payment of salaries, he furthered.
He said that a fund of 2.675 billion rupees was approved for the hospital, which has not been received yet. According to the spokesman, he has informed the health department about the problems of the hospital.
Caretaker Health Minister Dr. Abid Jameel also admitted that the department is facing financial problems.
During a meeting with journalists yesterday, he said that MTIs are independent institutions, that are trying to provide funds as soon as possible, but the financial problems faced by the province are huge impediments in this way.
Abid Jameel said many projects have been started, the future of which has not been thought about, and how they will continue. A committee has been formed for amendments in the Sehat Card system so that free facilities can be provided to deserving citizens without interruption, he furthered.
He said that government employees are being given money for health but they are also included in the health card.
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18 Apr, 2025