KP to Resume Free Organ Transplants and Cochlear Implants

According to officials, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced the reinstatement of free organ transplants and cochlear implants under the Sehat Card Plus program. They mentioned that these services were halted in early 2023 due to financial constraints during the caretaker government’s tenure. However, following the PTI’s return to power, which originally launched the health insurance initiative, the decision to resume these treatments was made.

Officials further detailed that the renewed initiative covers liver and renal transplants and extends cashless services to include bone marrow transplants, free thalassaemia treatment, and cochlear implants. These treatments are noted for their high costs, making them unaffordable for many individuals.

Regarding implementation, an official from the health department informed Dawn that a cabinet-approved summary has been issued for restarting organ transplants. They are awaiting the chief minister’s decision on whether all residents or only those below the poverty line will benefit from the program. The department had previously proposed a Rs1 billion endowment fund to sustain organ transplant operations, with Rs100 million recently released, pending final approval.

Since its inception in 2016, the Sehat Card Plus program has served over four million people, amounting to Rs 102 billion in costs. Despite delays, negotiations with hospitals are underway, including agreements for renal transplants at the Institute of Kidney Disease Peshawar, thalassaemia treatment and cochlear implants at Hayatabad Medical Complex, and liver transplants at Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital Islamabad due to local capacity constraints.

Moving forward, the program aims to prioritize public sector hospitals and ensure regular funding for continued operation, benefitting the entire provincial population eligible for free services, extendable to treatment in other provinces using national identity cards.