KARACHI: The provincial chapter of the prime minister’s Sehat Sahulat Programme in a communication to Dawn on Monday denied having completely shut down all its centres in Tharparkar, saying that they had been closed temporarily for a “revision in the planning of resources”.

It was pointed out that the programme in Tharparkar was being implemented by the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) through a local non-governmental organisation, MDF, which had undertaken enrolment of deserving families and distribution of the Sehat Sahulat Card in the district. The MDF had set up four static enrolment centres at the tehsil level and employed around 40 mobile units for the purpose, it added.

The communication said that MDF’s activities were briefly halted for a brief revision in the planning of resources, better outreach in the targeted far-flung areas as well as evolving a communication strategy.

It said that the MDF’s activities had been resumed and as of today, the health cards had been distributed to more than 56pc population of Tharparkar. “The enrolment process is under way”, it said.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2019