The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has reinstated free organ transplants and cochlear implants through the Sehat Card Plus (SCP) program. These services, which had been suspended in early 2023 due to financial challenges, are now back in operation under the newly elected administration.
Originally launched by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the SCP initiative provides crucial medical treatments, including kidney and liver transplants, bone marrow transplants, thalassemia care, and cochlear implants. Given the high costs of these procedures, this program serves as a lifeline for patients who cannot afford them.
Since its inception in 2016, the SCP program has assisted over four million patients, with expenditures reaching approximately Rs102 billion. Notably, the program has covered 164 kidney transplants and 64 liver transplants, each costing Rs1.4 million and Rs5 million, respectively.
At present, more than 60 patients, mainly those in need of kidney transplants, are awaiting treatment under the program. To facilitate these procedures, the government has designated several hospitals:
- Kidney transplants – Institute of Kidney Diseases, Peshawar
- Thalassemia treatment and cochlear implants – Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar
- Bone marrow and liver transplants – Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital, Islamabad (as these services are not yet available in KP)
Authorities are currently considering whether to provide these treatments to all patients or to limit them to individuals classified as low-income under the Benazir Income Support Programme. The SCP initiative was reactivated in March 2024, benefiting 960,000 patients at a cost of Rs30 billion.
