Govt to cover treatment costs at 42 private hospitals in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said on Wednesday that the government has included 42 private hospitals in Islamabad’s healthcare network to ease the burden on state-run facilities under its flagship national health insurance programme.

Speaking at press briefing in Islamabad, he said that the government will bear the full cost of treatment at these 42 private institutions.

The move is part of the “Sehat Sahulat Programme,” a health card initiative that has been reactivated after being suspended for several years.

“Our priority is providing quality healthcare to the public,” Kamal said.

“The burden on state hospitals has increased significantly due to rapid population growth and our economy can no longer sustain the current rate of population expansion.”

The minister noted that Islamabad’s population has surpassed 3.5 million, with public hospitals facing additional pressure from patients traveling from Rawalpindi, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and other areas.

“This influx has led to chronic overcrowding and frequent public complaints regarding the quality of service,” he said.

Kamal highlighted a stark disparity in healthcare efficiency, noting that while federal and provincial governments collectively spend Rs1,156 billion on health, patient satisfaction remains below 10 per cent.

In contrast, he said, a government-commissioned study on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) suggested that comprehensive facilities could be provided more effectively with a budget of Rs210 billion by leveraging the private sector.

“Universal Health Coverage is the future,” Kamal said, adding that without private sector integration, the country would need to construct 5,000 new hospitals to meet demand.

The minister cautioned participating institutions, stating that any hospital found engaging in malpractice or providing substandard care would be immediately de-listed from the programme.

Kamal also expressed gratitude to the prime minister for approving the restoration of the programme, which he described as a necessary step to align Pakistan with global healthcare standards.