The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has increased the budget for the Sehat Card Plus (SCP) program to clear outstanding payments to hospitals and ensure smooth implementation of the free healthcare initiative.
Officials said the government previously provided Rs3 billion per month to the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan, which manages the scheme. In December, the monthly allocation was raised to Rs4 billion to help settle pending liabilities of empaneled hospitals.
Annual Budget Raised to Rs. 48 Billion
According to official sources, the total annual budget for the program has been increased from Rs36 billion to Rs48 billion.
However, for the current fiscal year, the government allocated Rs41 billion, releasing Rs3 billion per month during the first five months from July to November.
Officials said the increase would allow the insurance company to gradually clear outstanding payments owed to hospitals participating in the program.
Outstanding Liabilities Gradually Decreasing
Sources said the government’s liabilities to the insurer have already declined. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the outstanding amount stood at Rs15 billion, which later dropped to Rs12 billion and is expected to fall to Rs8 billion by the end of the year.
The program’s annual expenditure is estimated at Rs34 billion to Rs35 billion, while the remaining funds are used to settle past liabilities.
Hospitals Facing Payment Delays
Several hospitals have reported delayed payments from the insurance company, which has affected the provision of healthcare services under the scheme.
For example, Ayub Teaching Hospital recently received Rs38 million against an outstanding amount of Rs700 million.
Similarly, the Medical Teaching Institution Bannu is awaiting payment of Rs290 million.
Hospital officials say delayed payments make it difficult to compensate medical staff involved in treating patients under the program.
Need for Improved Fund Distribution
Sources stressed the need for a streamlined system to distribute funds more efficiently among hospitals.
They also recommended prioritizing public hospitals, particularly those located outside Peshawar, so that patients can receive treatment closer to home and reduce the burden on major healthcare facilities in the provincial capital.
The majority of Patients Treated Outside Peshawar
Data shows that 19 of the top 25 hospitals treating patients under the scheme from July 2025 to March 2026 are located outside Peshawar.
Out of 948,182 patients, about 700,000 received treatment in hospitals outside the provincial capital.
Last year alone, 1.2 million patients received free treatment under the program at a cost of Rs35 billion.
Wide Coverage Across the Province
Currently, 700 hospitals are empaneled under the program, including 169 hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Since its launch in February 2016, nearly 4.98 million patients have received free diagnostic and treatment services worth Rs135 billion.
The scheme covers the entire population of the province, including over 10.7 million families comprising about 34.5 million individuals.
Officials said that the timely release of funds would enable hospitals to continue providing free healthcare services and allow patients to receive treatment at local hospitals rather than travelling to Peshawar.
