Swat hospitals receive Rs8.08 billion under Sehat Card Plus in 32 months

SWAT: Twenty-nine public and private hospitals in Swat and Upper Swat received more than Rs8.08 billion under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s Sehat Card Plus programme over a period of 32 months, raising questions about the distribution, transparency and monitoring of healthcare funds.

According to official data from the Social Health Protection Initiative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, the payments were made between January 1, 2024, and August 31, 2026.

The figures show that hospitals received Rs2.39 billion in 2024, followed by Rs3.35 billion in 2025. During the first eight months of 2026, another Rs2.34 billion was disbursed to healthcare facilities.

The highest annual payments were recorded in 2025, reflecting the substantial financial volume handled under the provincial health insurance initiative.

Luqman International Hospital tops payment list

Luqman International Hospital emerged as the largest recipient, receiving Rs1.37 billion during the period under review.

Saidu Teaching Hospital secured the second position with Rs1.23 billion, while Senor Swat received Rs990.55 million. Saidu Trauma Hospital followed with Rs978.37 million.

Swat Medical Complex received Rs780.24 million, while Anwar Hospital Swat was paid Rs777.43 million.

Other major recipients included Swat Institute of Medical Sciences, which received Rs502.55 million, and THQ Hospital Matta, with payments amounting to Rs365.55 million.

Mangal Abdul Haq Jahanzeb Kidney Hospital received Rs267.22 million, while Jalil International Hospital was paid Rs177.50 million.

In contrast, Shah Medical Centre in Barikot received the lowest amount, just Rs218,263. Sherzada General Hospital received Rs379,440, while Shah Medical Centre in Saidu Sharif received Rs3.83 million.

The significant differences in payments raise questions about patient volumes, treatment costs, the nature of medical services and the criteria used to approve hospital claims. However, the available data does not explain the reasons behind these variations.

Billions distributed across KP hospitals

The payments in Swat form part of a much larger provincial healthcare expenditure.

Government figures show that hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received Rs23.52 billion under Sehat Card Plus in 2024. Government hospitals received more than Rs15.37 billion, while private facilities were paid over Rs7.69 billion.

In 2025, provincial payments increased to Rs35.26 billion, including Rs19.27 billion for government hospitals and Rs12.77 billion for private healthcare facilities. More than 1.2 million patients reportedly received treatment through the programme during that year.

Transparency and accountability concerns

Although the provincial government considers Sehat Card Plus a major public welfare initiative aimed at providing free medical treatment to eligible citizens, opposition parties have raised concerns about its financial management.

They have alleged irregularities and questioned whether certain hospitals and pharmaceutical companies have benefited disproportionately from the scheme.

Health expert and senior journalist Arif Ahmad said that the scale of expenditure made transparency, accountability and independent monitoring essential.

He stressed the need for detailed information about the number of patients treated, medical procedures performed, treatment costs, approved claims and verification mechanisms.

He said regular audits and hospital-wise disclosures would help establish whether public funds were being utilised effectively and whether patients were receiving quality healthcare.

The Rs8.08 billion disbursement to Swat’s 29 hospitals highlights the scale of the programme at the district level. However, without detailed patient records, treatment breakdowns and audit findings, the effectiveness and fairness of the spending remain difficult to assess.