Punjab Govt Confirms Free Health Card Still Active, Eligibility Check via SMS 8500

The Punjab government has assured citizens that the Health Card program, which offers free medical treatment at public and private hospitals, is still active and has not been suspended.

“Don’t put your ears on rumours,” the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) stated in an announcement shared on social media. It emphasized that health card facilities continue to operate across the province, enabling patients to receive treatment at selected hospitals without disruption.

According to PHIMC, a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) now serves as the health card. Citizens have been advised to ensure their family details are correctly registered in NADRA’s database to benefit from the services.

For eligibility checks, residents can simply send their CNIC number via SMS to 8500. They will receive a confirmation message regarding their status within minutes. To further assist the public, a helpline has also been launched, offering support from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm for those facing issues at hospitals.

In addition to the Health Card scheme, the Punjab government has rolled out free dialysis services for kidney patients and initiated child heart surgery programs across the province, aiming to strengthen public health facilities.