PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) health department has provided free healthcare to 3.89 million patients under the Sehat Card Plus (SCP) programme since its launch in 2016, spending around Rs100 billion, according to an official report.
The beneficiaries included 2.09 million women (53.07%), 1.79 million men (46.03%), and 17 transgender individuals. Private hospitals treated 2.05 million patients, earning Rs54.32 billion, while public hospitals served 4.12 million patients, generating Rs44.66 billion.
Demographic and Financial Highlights
Patients aged 20-40 years constituted the majority, with 0.64 million (16.4%) aged 20-30 and 0.68 million (17.4%) aged 30-40. Women accounted for a larger share of treatment costs at Rs50.06 billion (51%), compared to Rs48.92 billion for men.
Top Hospitals Benefiting from SCP
Prominent hospitals like Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Peshawar Institute of Cardiology (PIC), and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) were key beneficiaries.
- LRH treated 186,657 patients, earning Rs6.71 billion.
- PIC served 55,629 patients, generating Rs6.023 billion.
- HMC received 120,000 patients and earned Rs5.19 billion.
Other hospitals, such as the Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (IRNUM), Ayub Teaching Hospital, and Khyber Teaching Hospital, also reported significant revenue and patient numbers.
Medical Specializations and Expenditures
The SCP spent Rs22.65 billion on cardiology cases, Rs11.77 billion on general patients, Rs11.03 billion on gynecology, and Rs7.06 billion on medical cases. Oncology and orthopedic treatments accounted for Rs6.57 billion and Rs4.94 billion, respectively.
Shifting Trends in Private vs Public Hospitals
The report noted a decline in patients visiting private hospitals since 2023 due to government restrictions on common procedures, encouraging the use of public facilities. This shift aimed to curb misuse by private hospitals performing unnecessary treatments.
In 2016, private hospitals handled 99% of SCP cases, but this figure dropped to 52% by 2023 as public hospitals upgraded services and implemented revenue-sharing formulas to incentivize staff.
Future Outlook
With district-level hospitals improving their facilities, more patients are expected to opt for public healthcare. The government remains committed to ensuring free, high-quality medical services for the people of KP under the SCP programme.
