It has been decided that the oral medicines for the cancer patients will be provided free of cost by KP regional hospitals. The medicines will be given on Sehat Card Plus so the patients won’t have to travel elsewhere to get their medications.
Since 2014, the patients have been receiving free medicines from Hayatabad Medical Complex. However, many patients have to visit Peshawar from far flung areas to get the medicine, which is sometimes very hectic for them. Now, for their feasibility patients can receive free medications from their native areas.
Sehat Card has been a blessing for over 20,000 blood cancer patients, as they are receiving proper checkups and medications due to this card. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for them to afford the proper treatment of cancer in Pakistan.
Dr. Mohammad Riaz Tanoli, the chief executive officer of the Sehat Card Plus programme, told sources that patients would continue to receive free medication at HMC, but that the number of hospitals has increased because people are no longer compelled to travel to Peshawar rather than receive medicines in their own area.
Dr. Riaz stated that the SCP had not previously covered the oral medication of OPD patients, and that its beneficiaries were only admitted patients. “A few months ago, Health Minister Taimur Jhagra asked us to help blood cancer patients. It has now been decided to combine the HMC’s project with SCP in order to ensure that cancer patients receive free medicines,” he added.
He stated that they were working quickly to establish regional setups where patients could be registered for free medication. SCP provides free services to all residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and newly merged districts. As a result, all 10.7 million families in the province are eligible for free health care at the 203 accredited hospitals.
“There are 1,100 hospitals in Punjab, Islamabad, and Sindh that provide free services to people with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa national identity cards,” he said.
Indeed, a great initiative by the government to help the people in need because health should always be the first and foremost priority in any country.
