Sehat Card No Longer Accepted in Punjab Government Hospitals

The Punjab government has officially stopped the use of the Sehat Card (also known as the health card) for free medical treatment in government hospitals across the province. Hospital administrations have been instructed to send in all pending claims related to the Sehat Card by June 30. After this deadline, no more claims will be accepted.

This is a big change in policy. The Sehat Card program had helped millions of people in Punjab get free treatment at both public and private hospitals. Now, the card can only be used at private hospitals. This means that government hospitals will no longer accept the Sehat Card for free services.

Punjab’s Minister for Specialised Healthcare, Khawaja Salman Rafique, explained the reason behind this decision. He said that the government has already paid Rs 22 billion for the medicines used in government hospitals over the past five years. He also made it clear that this decision will not stop free treatment in public hospitals.

Rafique stressed that the government is still fully committed to offering free healthcare in government hospitals. Instead of using the Sehat Card, the treatment costs in public hospitals will now be covered directly by the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department.

Even though the Sehat Card will no longer be used in public hospitals, the government says that free medical services will still be available to the public. Patients going to government hospitals for treatment will continue to get free services, just like before—only now the hospitals will be paid by the government through a different system.

The minister explained that limiting the Sehat Card to private hospitals is meant to protect the healthcare system from overuse and to better manage government funds. By focusing the Sehat Card on private hospital care, the government believes it can keep the system running more smoothly.

In short, the Sehat Card will now only work in private hospitals. Free treatment in public hospitals will still continue, but without using the Sehat Card. The government says this change will help make the healthcare system stronger and more sustainable, while still taking care of people’s medical needs.

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