The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) caretaker government recently convened a pivotal cabinet meeting under the leadership of caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan and decided to limit the free healthcare services available under the Health Card scheme.

This gathering included cabinet members, the chief secretary, additional chief secretary, and administrative secretaries.

Among the crucial matters discussed, the Health Card scheme took center stage.

Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Riaz Anwar, addressing a press conference, stressed that full benefits of the scheme would now be reserved exclusively for beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Program as the expenses over the initiative have ballooned.

The liability over the scheme has increased from Rs30 billion and Rs39 billion. A proposal was floated during the meeting to completely end the program.

The cabinet subsequently approved a series of reforms for the Health Card initiative.

Under these new reforms, individuals with an income of up to Rs37,000 will be required to cover 25% of their medical expenses.

This contribution will be collected through data obtained from the Benazir Income Support Program, ensuring that those with higher incomes contribute to their healthcare costs.

The poor and under-privileged will continue to avail free facilities, however, everyone will be able to avail the free facilities at the emergency ward.

Importantly, it was clarified that the Health Card program itself will not be discontinued; rather, it will continue to serve the underprivileged.

This shift in focus comes as a result of budgetary constraints, with KP's Health Card program expenses rising from Rs30 billion to Rs39 billion.