Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, under the special directives of Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, has launched a new initiative to expand universal health coverage by including free OPD (Outpatient Department) services in the Sehat Card Plus program.
The Chief Minister formally inaugurated the free OPD services during a ceremony held at the Chief Minister’s House on Wednesday. The event was attended by provincial cabinet members, members of the National and Provincial Assembly, and officials from the Health Department.
The pilot phase of the OPD scheme is being launched in Mardan district, benefiting 50,000 deserving households. In the second phase, the initiative will be extended to Chitral, Malakand, and Kohat.
Under this program, free medications, medical tests, and healthcare services will be provided to eligible individuals. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the German organisation KfW and is expected to expand further in the future.
Using Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) data, around 120,000 deserving households from the four selected districts will benefit from this healthcare initiative.
Free OPD services will be available not only at hospitals on the Sehat Card panel but also at Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) at the Union Council level. This initiative makes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the first province in Pakistan to provide free OPD services under the Sehat Card Plus program.
