Letter of Dr. Yasmin Rashid from Jail Addressing the Crisis in Punjab’s Health Sector
Date : March 17th, 2025
Subject: Addressing the Crisis in Punjab’s Health Sector
Punjab has witnessed the formation of 47 governments, yet poor governance, lack of vision, and an absence of evidence-based policymaking have led to complete chaos in the health sector. Every day, reports emerge about the unavailability of essential medicines in major teaching hospitals, district headquarters, and tehsil headquarters hospitals. Overcrowding, poor sanitation, and patient deaths due to negligence have become distressingly common.
Adding to this crisis, a province-wide protest is underway against the privatization of rural health centers and basic health units. This move threatens the jobs of numerous medical professionals at a time when over 40% of the population has been pushed below the poverty line, and food insecurity has become the new norm.
Punjab has more than 22 million families registered under the Sehat Card program. The principle behind this health insurance initiative was universal health coverage, ensuring every citizen's right to healthcare without financial constraints. During our tenure, we added 50,000 beds to the existing healthcare infrastructure without the need for new brick-and-mortar investments. This was achieved by empaneling private hospitals, particularly those affiliated with private teaching institutions. Patients received free treatment through the *Sehat Card*, and the insurance company reimbursed hospitals at government-approved rates, calculated by the health department. As a result, overcrowding in public hospitals significantly decreased, with costs covered by insurance.
Had we opted to construct 100 new hospitals with 500-bed capacities to meet this demand, the cost to the public exchequer would have been one trillion rupees, with an annual operational expense of 300 billion rupees. Instead, the health insurance model effectively met the need without imposing such a financial burden. Notably, all public sector hospitals were also empaneled, turning them into revenue-generating entities. By the time I left the health ministry, teaching hospitals had earned 10 billion rupees, which was directed back into the government treasury. Additionally, under the agreement with the government-owned insurance company, any unspent portion of the allocated 130 billion rupees was returned to the government—ensuring a financially sustainable model.
I urge you to examine the successful implementation of the Sehat Card in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). Since its inception in 2016, over 4 million people have benefited from the program. More than 1,000 hospitals across other provinces are empaneled, allowing KPK residents to access free healthcare services nationwide with their computerized national identity cards. This year, public sector hospitals in KPK have generated more revenue from the Sehat Card than the private sector, with a total expenditure of 102 billion rupees since 2016. Furthermore, outdoor patient facilities have now been included.
Regrettably, the Sehat Card has been discontinued in Punjab. Despite any efforts made by this government, it cannot diminish the public’s appreciation for Imran Khan, whose people-centric policies have prioritized investment in the welfare of Pakistan’s citizens.
May Allah guide us through these difficult times.
Pakistan Zindabad!
Dr. Yasmin Rashid