CNICs to be used as health cards now

ISLAMABAD, June 27: National Database and Registration Authority(NADRA) has signed an agreement with the health ministry for SehatSahulat Programme in which the Computerised National Identity Cards(CNICs) will be used as health cards.The NADRA has signed an agreement with the federal health ministry andPunjab Health Initiative Management Company for the national health cardand Sehat Sahulat Program. The agreement signing ceremony was held atthe NADRA headquarters in Islamabad. The eligible population will be provided with the medical treatmentfacilities at the prescribed fees at the government and privatehospitals under the new mechanism in which CNICs will be used as healthcards. The authority will provide a digital solution to the Ministry ofNational Health Services Regulations and Coordination under theagreement.The agreement will also enable the data verification process includingfamily composition, CNICs, provision of a centralised managementinformation system, call centre service centre, data hosting, alliedservices and hospital services module.NADRA Chairman Tariq Malik, while addressing the event, said that theinstitution has possessed the best infrastructure for assistance withthe government’s reform plans. NADRA is an important technological toolof the federal government which provides services, social protectionprograms and digital facilities in different sectors.He reminded that NADRA had digitalised the World Bank’s survey todetermine the poverty score in Pakistan and linked it with the biometricdatabase besides providing assistance to compile a database fordetermining the poverty rate.Malik said that the citizens will get access to the medical-relatedfacilities in a dignified way without facing any financial trouble.He added that NADRA is going to provide the facility to 26.3 millionfamilies comprising 85 million population under the universal coveragein Punjab through the program. Prior to the new agreement, the federalgovernment provided medical facilities to 1.6 million population acrossthe country via NADRA. -NNI