Daily Times

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid Sunday said the provincial government had promised to provide health card to all the citizens including PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and his family.

Talking to the media in Lahore, Dr Rashid said issuance of Naya Pakistan health card in Punjab was continuing apace.

“Patients with health cards are also visiting private hospitals,” she said. “The health card will be given to the head of a family, while they must ensure the registration of their children as well.”

Dr Rashid said the provincial government will ensure that everyone, irrespective of their political affiliation, will be able to benefit from the health card, says a news report.

“We will also be providing a health card to Nawaz Sharif and his children,” she said, adding that “the government has never claimed that the facility will only be for PTI or PPP members; this facility is for everyone.”

Talking about the rapid increase of the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, Dr Rashid said: “Omicron could affect more people and, so far, 170 cases of the variant have been registered in Punjab.”

Dr Rashid further briefed the media about the coronavirus situation in Lahore and said that the positivity rate is still at 3.8 % in the city.

She pointed out that in public gatherings, especially wedding events, citizens are not following the government’s mandated standard operating procedures (SOPs) or taking precautions.

“Wearing masks and ensuring social distancing is the only way to protect oneself from Omicron,” she said. She further vowed to include Pakistan in the list of polio-free countries.