The Sehat Sahulat Card facility under the Prime Minister’s National Health Programme has been restored for residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir following special directives from Shehbaz Sharif. The move reinstates access to free indoor healthcare services for millions of people across the region and is aimed at easing the financial burden associated with specialized medical treatment. With the restoration now in effect, approximately 4.5 million residents of AJK are eligible to receive treatment at designated public and private hospitals within the state, as well as selected facilities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The development was confirmed by AJK Minister for Health and Population Welfare Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi, who stated that the programme ensures comprehensive hospital coverage for patients from the region. Under the scheme, formally inaugurated in Islamabad on January 16, patients are entitled to free hospitalization, including surgical procedures and medicines for cancer, cardiac conditions, kidney diseases, gynecological issues, and other complex illnesses. The minister explained that the federal government has entered into an agreement with State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan, which is responsible for covering treatment expenses with financial backing from the federal government. This structure is designed to ensure uninterrupted service delivery while maintaining financial sustainability of the programme.
In its first phase, the restored Sehat Sahulat Card facility has been activated at key public healthcare institutions across AJK. These include CMH Muzaffarabad, CMH Rawalakot, and district headquarters hospitals in Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli, Palandri, Bagh, Jhelum Valley, and Neelum. Treatment services are already operational at these facilities, allowing eligible patients to access indoor medical care without cost. According to the health minister, Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences Muzaffarabad and the Cardiac Hospital Muzaffarabad are also set to be included in the programme shortly, further expanding the network of hospitals offering free treatment under the scheme. In addition, treatment is continuing at approved private hospitals that meet the eligibility criteria set under the programme.
During the second phase of implementation, all tehsil headquarters hospitals in AJK have been registered with State Life, and services will be launched at those facilities that fulfill the prescribed standards. Beyond the region, AJK residents are also being facilitated at major public hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, including Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, DHQ Hospital, Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. The minister urged citizens to disregard misinformation circulating on social media and to seek care only at designated hospitals where surgeries and medicines are provided free of cost. Information desks have been established at all CMHs and district headquarters hospitals, while complaints can be lodged with the Directorate General of Health Services in Muzaffarabad. Further details related to the Sehat Sahulat Card are available through the Government of Pakistan website and the dedicated helpline 0800 09009. The AJK government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring timely and uninterrupted healthcare services so residents in remote areas are not deprived of modern medical facilities due to financial limitations.
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