QUETTA: The caretaker Balochistan government on Friday announced free medical treatment facilities to the people of the province and launched the Balochistan Health Card programme for the purpose.

Launching the programme at a ceremony held here, caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki handed over an ID card to a local person.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the programme, he said that from today “we are taking the responsibility for providing timely and quality health facilities to all people of Balochistan at the government level”.

He said that from now onward every person of the province without any discrimination will be provided medical treatment free of charge on his identity card.

Under the programme, equal medical treatment facilities will be provided to every person in the province at government expense in more than 1,200 panel hospitals across the country.

Mr Domki said he had issued clear instructions that along with treatment of patients, self-respect and dignity of patients and their attendants should also be taken care of.

The chief minister said that under the Balochistan Health Card programme, the patients will be able to go to the government or private hospitals on the panel without any obstacle and get their treatment started. After the treatment, the patients will be discharged from the hospital concerned easily on the basis of their ID card.

He said the government is determined to protect life, honour and property of the people of Balochistan as provision of education and health by the government is the people’s basic right.

“We have formulated a comprehensive strategy for gradual expansion and success of this programme and with the passage of time more resources will be allocated for this purpose,” Mr Domki added.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2023