Sehat Card Plus Initiative Fails to Deliver Lifesaving Heart Surgeries in Swat District

Strategic Insights -

Patients in urgent need of heart surgeries in Swat and other districts of Malakand division are being denied treatment under Sehat Card Plus, forcing them to travel to Peshawar at their own expense. The patients claim that despite having state-of-the-art cardiac facilities in several private hospitals in Swat, cardiologists are often not present, and those who perform procedures come from their clinics. The residents of Malakand division demand that heart surgeries should be allowed in private hospitals where proper facilities exist, so that patients can be treated in their home districts.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Sehat Card Plus initiative in Swat and other districts of Malakand division fails to cover heart surgeries in private hospitals, despite having state-of-the-art cardiac facilities.
  • Patients in urgent need of heart surgeries are being denied treatment under Sehat Card Plus, forcing them to travel to Peshawar at their own expense.
  • Cardiologists are often not present in private hospitals in Swat with available Cath lab facilities, and those who perform procedures come from their clinics.
  • Official from the health department requires private hospitals to have cardiologists available for OPD duty at least three days a week to be granted permission for heart surgeries.
  • Doctors in private hospitals in Swat dispute this claim, stating that cardiologists are present on-site or within two to three kilometres, and can arrive immediately in case of emergencies.
  • The residents of Malakand division demand that heart surgeries should be allowed in private hospitals where proper facilities exist, so that patients can be treated in their home districts.
  • Families echoed similar concerns, questioning the rationale behind exclusion of cardiac procedures from Sehat Card Plus programme in local private hospitals.
  • Habibur Rehman, a distressed parent, had brought his son from a remote village to Saidu Teaching Hospital, borrowing money just for the travel.

Statistics:

  • Number of patients affected by the exclusion of heart surgeries from Sehat Card Plus programme in private hospitals in Swat and other districts of Malakand division: Unavailable
  • Number of private hospitals in Swat with available Cath lab facilities: 5
  • Number of cardiologists available for OPD duty at least three days a week in private hospitals in Swat: Unavailable
  • Number of patients who have to travel to Peshawar for heart surgery under Sehat Card Plus: Unavailable
  • Number of families affected by the delay or denial of heart surgery: Over 10 families

Sources:

  • Dawn, Swat patients left high and dry: State-of-art cardiac facilities but heart surgeries not allowed
  • The Frontier Post, Sehat Card Plus: A beacon of hope for the poor, but with a caveat
  • Pakistan Today, Sehat Card Plus: A boon for the poor, but with some limitations