The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet approved Health Policy 2026 in early July 2026, extending Sehat Card Plus coverage to outpatient (OPD) services and launching new school health and telemedicine programs. This page covers specifically what’s changing under this policy — for the existing inpatient Sehat Card Plus program that’s already operational, see the main Sehat Card Plus guide. Because this policy was only just approved, several of its components are still moving from approval to actual rollout, and this guide is honest about which is which.
What the Policy Changes
Health Policy 2026 is a province-wide reform framework, not a single new card or scheme. Its most significant change for ordinary beneficiaries is extending Sehat Card Plus — previously an inpatient-only program — to cover outpatient department (OPD) visits, meaning people could get subsidized care when seeing a doctor without being admitted to hospital. The policy was developed and approved by the KP Health Department and announced through Provincial Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah’s office.
What’s Confirmed So Far
| Component | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| OPD Coverage Extension | Sehat Card Plus expanded to cover outpatient visits, not just hospital admissions |
| School Health Services | New health services introduced specifically for students in KP schools |
| Telemedicine | Remote video-consultation services, aimed particularly at mountain and hard-to-reach communities |
| Palliative Care | Expanded pain relief and support services for terminally ill patients |
| Geriatric Medicine | New services specifically for elderly patients |
| ICU/CCU/Trauma/Burn Centres | New specialised units planned to strengthen secondary and tertiary care |
| Lady Health Workers Programme | Strengthened as part of primary healthcare revitalization |
| Transplant Coverage | Sehat Card Plus extended to include kidney, liver, and bone marrow transplants |
What’s Still Rolling Out
Because this policy was approved only weeks before this guide was written, the practical, day-to-day mechanics of several components aren’t fully operational yet. Specifically:
- OPD claim process: How a beneficiary actually uses Sehat Card Plus for an outpatient visit — which clinics participate, what the visit limit is, whether it works the same way as the existing 9780 SMS check — hasn’t been separately documented yet beyond the policy announcement.
- School health services: The specific services, which schools are included first, and the rollout timeline haven’t been detailed publicly yet.
- Telemedicine platform: Which app or service beneficiaries would use for a telemedicine consultation isn’t specified in the policy announcement.
What to Do in the Meantime
For inpatient treatment, Sehat Card Plus already works exactly as before — nothing about the existing SMS check (9780) or hospital-admission process has changed. For the newer OPD, school health, and telemedicine components, the most reliable approach is to check directly with healthkp.gov.pk or sehatsahulat.com.pk as implementation notices are published, since third-party sites may describe these services as fully live before they actually are.
Solve — Getting Accurate Information
- A site claims OPD claims are already processing: Treat this cautiously until confirmed on healthkp.gov.pk or sehatsahulat.com.pk directly, since the policy was only approved in July 2026 and implementation typically follows weeks or months later.
- Unsure whether your existing inpatient coverage changed: It hasn’t — Health Policy 2026 adds new coverage on top of the existing program rather than replacing it.
- Want to confirm a specific new service is live in your district: Contact your nearest Sehat Card Plus empanelled hospital or the helpline (0800-89898) for the most current status.
What’s Next
Watch healthkp.gov.pk and sehatsahulat.com.pk for implementation notices as OPD coverage, school health services, and telemedicine roll out. This page will be updated once concrete application steps exist for each component.
FAQs
Does Sehat Card Plus already cover OPD visits?
Not yet in a fully documented, operational way. Health Policy 2026 approved extending Sehat Card Plus to OPD services, but the specific claim process hadn’t been separately published as of this guide’s last update.
Has anything changed for existing Sehat Card Plus inpatient coverage?
No, the existing inpatient program — including the 9780 SMS eligibility check and hospital admission process — continues to work exactly as before. Health Policy 2026 adds new coverage on top of it.
What is the telemedicine service under this policy?
The policy promotes telemedicine, particularly to help patients in remote mountain communities consult doctors without traveling. The specific platform or app for this hasn’t been detailed publicly yet.
When will school health services start?
An exact rollout timeline hasn’t been publicly announced yet. Check healthkp.gov.pk for implementation updates as they’re released.
Is this a new card I need to apply for separately?
No, Health Policy 2026 is a policy framework that expands the existing Sehat Card Plus program and adds new services — it isn’t a separate card requiring its own application.