Health Card System in Balochistan at Risk as Payments Suspended for 4 Months, Treatment Limited in Hospitals
**Quetta (Daily Qudrat Quetta):**
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Quetta Zone has raised serious concerns over the suspension of payments under the **Balochistan Health Card** scheme for the past four months, leaving poor patients struggling to receive medical treatment in both public and private hospitals.
In a statement, PMA Quetta Zone President **Dr. Nadir Khan Achakzai**, General Secretary **Dr. Shoaib Baloch**, and the entire cabinet highlighted that the provincial government has failed to release funds owed to hospitals under the health card program. This has put hospital administrations under severe financial pressure and drastically reduced the availability of medical services.
They warned that the non-payment of the budget allocated for public welfare under the health card scheme is a grave injustice to citizens already burdened by poverty, unemployment, and inflation. The suspension of services under the program has caused immense mental stress to patients and their families.
Several hospitals have reportedly limited treatment under the health card, while some face the risk of completely halting services. PMA Quetta Zone emphasized that if immediate action is not taken, the health card initiative may fail entirely.
The association urged the **Chief Minister and Chief Secretary of Balochistan** to urgently release pending payments and restore the scheme so that citizens can access medical treatment without delay.
