In a major step toward strengthening healthcare access for underserved populations, the federal government is set to make the Sehat Sahulat Card a permanent component of its national health framework, according to officials from the Ministry of National Health Services.

The proposal has been forwarded to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for formal approval, which, if granted, would institutionalize the programme under federal oversight.

Muhammad Arshad, head of the Sehat Sahulat Card initiative, confirmed the development during a media briefing with Samaa TV. “We are taking steps to secure the programme’s future at the federal level. Once ECNEC approves it, the card will be a lasting part of the national healthcare system,” he stated.

Currently, the scheme provides free medical treatment to approximately 2.7 million families across Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Tharparkar district in Sindh. Beneficiaries are entitled to receive treatment from a network of over 600 empanelled public and private hospitals nationwide.

The programme covers a wide range of medical services including hospitalisation, surgical procedures, maternity care, and chronic disease management, ensuring that financially vulnerable populations are not burdened by healthcare costs.

Arshad emphasized that this move represents a significant step toward achieving universal health coverage in regions that lack devolved healthcare systems. “Our aim is to guarantee uninterrupted access to quality care for communities that have long been on the margins of public health services,” he said.

The Sehat Sahulat Card was originally launched as a federal initiative to assist low-income families. Provinces like Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa later expanded the programme under their own health departments. However, areas without provincial health infrastructure, such as AJK, GB, Islamabad, and parts of Sindh, have continued to rely on the federally managed version.

If approved, the permanent federalisation of the Sehat Sahulat Card could serve as a model for inclusive healthcare reform across the country—offering hope to millions who still struggle to afford even basic medical services.