PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has released Rs100 million for free organ transplants on Sehat Card Plus, according to officials.
They said that the amount was released for high cost organ transplants and treatment of high cost diseases. They said that a total of 119 high cost diseases would be covered under the programme including 30 kidney transplants, 15 bone marrow transplants, six liver transplants, 10 cochlear implants, treatment of five thalassaemia patients and 53 other ailments the cost of which was very high.
Officials said that chief minister had approved a request for release of funds to ensure free treatment of those patients, who were on waiting list. They added that all the patients would start getting free medical services within a fortnight.
They said that free transplants were stopped by caretaker government in early 2023, citing lack of funds as the reason. Pakistan Tehree-i-Insaf, which had pioneered the free health insurance initiative of SCP in the province, decided to resume it after forming third provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Officials say patients will start getting free medical services within fortnight
Officials said that a decision had been made not only for the resumption of liver and renal transplants but also about the extension of cashless medical services to the people requiring bone marrow transplant, free thalassaemia treatment and cochlear implants as those treatments were highly expensive and were not affordable for most people.
They said that provincial cabinet had already approved a summary regarding restarting organ transplantation while health department had again sent a summary to the chief minister to know if all the people could be included in the free transplant programme or only those living below poverty line.
The health department had earlier proposed establishment of an Rs1 billion endowment fund to use its profit for transplanting organs to patients.
The programme was launched in 2016. It has so far benefited more than 4.3 million people at a cost of Rs103 billion. They also include 164 kidney and 64 liver transplants, with each costing Rs1.4 million and Rs5 million respectively, but halt of free transplant programme left many patients high and dry.
Officials said that those patients had been on the waiting list for transplants, mostly for kidney, with most having fulfilled requirements. The health department had already negotiated agreements with hospitals, which would be signed once the chief minister accorded approval to the summary.
“For now, the chief minister has given go-ahead for treatment of 68 patients. In near future, it is expected that all patients requiring transplants would be covered under the free treatment programme,” they said.
Officials said that government had paid Rs34 billion for free treatment of patients since last year and liability of the insurer was Rs21 billion when the health insurance programme was resumed that had fell to around Rs13 billion.
They said that government wanted to continue the programme, so the insurance company was getting paid regularly.
They said that of late, health department had been giving priority to public sector hospitals so that they could earn from the free treatment programme and upgrade their services.
Officials said that the entire population of the province was entitled to free medical services and people could also avail treatment in other provinces showing their national identity cards.
They said that most patients couldn’t afford the high cost of transplants and therefore, the government was considering to provide transplant services to all residents of the province.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2025
