Urooj Niazi 
Pakistan’s healthcare sector continues expanding access to critical treatment services through government-backed initiatives, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains at the centre of that effort in 2026, especially with KP free cancer medicines initiatives. The provincial government’s Sehat Card Plus program has become one of the most important healthcare support systems for families facing expensive cancer treatment costs.
As of April 2026, cancer patients across KP can receive free medicines, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and several oncology services through designated public hospitals under the Sehat Card Plus framework. Despite temporary funding pressures reported earlier this year, authorities continue working to maintain uninterrupted treatment access for thousands of patients.
What Is The Sehat Card Plus Program In KP?
The Sehat Card Plus (SCP) program operates as a government-backed cashless healthcare system for residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The initiative allows eligible patients to receive treatment without paying major hospital expenses directly from personal funds.
Cancer care remains one of the most important services covered under the program. Patients diagnosed with various forms of cancer can access treatment support for chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgeries, blood cancer treatment, and related medicines.
The program is designed to reduce financial pressure on families while expanding access to advanced medical treatment across the province.
Which Hospitals Provide Free Cancer Medicines In KP?
Cancer treatment services under the Sehat Card Plus program are mainly available at major public medical teaching hospitals in the province.
The key hospitals currently providing cancer medicines and oncology support include:
- Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), Peshawar.
- Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar.
- Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH), Abbottabad.
These institutions operate specialised oncology departments where eligible patients can receive consultations, chemotherapy sessions, diagnostic support, and medicine provision through the SCP framework.
The hospitals also maintain dedicated Sehat Card counters to verify patient eligibility and process treatment approvals.
How To Get Free Cancer Medicines Through Sehat Card Plus
Patients seeking free cancer medicines in KP must follow several important steps before treatment approval.
The process generally begins with a visit to a designated hospital’s oncology department. A valid CNIC or NADRA-issued B-Form for children is necessary for verification.
After arriving at the hospital, patients are directed to the Sehat Card Plus counter for eligibility confirmation. Hospital staff verify the patient’s identity and residency details before processing treatment authorisation.
Once eligibility is confirmed, the treating oncologist examines the patient and prescribes the required medicines or treatment plan.
Eligibility Criteria For Free Cancer Treatment In KP
The KP government has expanded healthcare access significantly in recent years, allowing a broad section of the provincial population to qualify for Sehat Card Plus treatment.
The main eligibility requirements include:
- Permanent residency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- Valid 13-digit CNIC for adults.
- NADRA-issued B-Form for children.
- Verification through Sehat Card Plus records.
Unlike many limited welfare schemes, the Sehat Card Plus initiative has gradually moved toward wider population coverage rather than strict income-based restrictions.
What Is The New Jwandun Card Program?
The KP government recently introduced the Jwandun Card initiative to support patients requiring high-cost procedures that may exceed standard Sehat Card limits.
The new program focuses on advanced medical interventions such as bone marrow transplants and specialised surgeries that involve significantly higher treatment expenses.
The Jwandun Card initiative represents an effort to close gaps in healthcare financing for critically ill patients who require procedures unavailable under routine coverage structures.
Funding Challenges Facing Cancer Treatment Services In 2026
Despite the expansion of public healthcare initiatives, KP’s cancer treatment system faced serious financial pressure in early 2026.
Reports from April indicated that hospitals such as Hayatabad Medical Complex and Khyber Teaching Hospital experienced medicine shortages due to delayed funding allocations and pending payments reportedly exceeding PKR 680 million.
These shortages raised concerns among patients and healthcare professionals regarding treatment continuity for vulnerable individuals undergoing chemotherapy and long-term oncology care.
Childhood Cancer Support Expanding Across Pakistan
Pakistan’s healthcare sector is also preparing broader childhood cancer support programs in collaboration with international health organisations.
Under a WHO-supported initiative, four hospitals in Pakistan are expected to receive free childhood cancer medicines before the end of 2026.
The initiative aims to improve pediatric oncology treatment access while reducing medicine shortages for young cancer patients.
How To Verify Eligibility Online And Through Helplines
The KP government has introduced digital verification tools to simplify patient access and reduce confusion regarding eligibility.
Residents can check Sehat Card Plus eligibility by sending their CNIC number to 9780 through SMS services.
Additional support is available through the official Sehat Card Plus helpdesk helpline:
- Helpline: 0800-89898
Patients can also access updates and information through the official Sehat Sahulat Program website.
KP’s Expanding Healthcare System Reflects Broader Public Welfare Goals
The continued expansion of Sehat Card Plus and related healthcare initiatives demonstrates KP’s broader commitment toward strengthening public welfare systems despite fiscal challenges.
The focus on cancer treatment accessibility, high-end surgical support, and universal healthcare coverage reflects growing institutional efforts to improve medical protection for residents across Pakistan.
The healthcare sector of Pakistan is still focused on the expansion of the accessibility of critical treatment services within the sector, which will be supported by the governmental initiatives in 2026. The program of the Sehat Card Plus by the provincial government has gained relevance as one of the most critical healthcare support tools to families with prohibitive cancer treatment expenses.
What Is The Sehat Card Plus Program In KP?
The Sehat Card Plus (SCP) initiative is a government-supported, cash-free, healthcare system and is designed to serve the population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The program enables the qualified patients to be treated without using large amounts of money to cover hospital bills straight from their personal pocket.
One of the most valuable services under the program is cancer care. Treatment support services are provided to patients with different types of cancer seeking treatment in terms of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgeries, blood cancer treatment and related drugs.
Which Hospitals Provide Free Cancer Medicines In KP?
The treatment services included in the Sehat Card Plus program concern the treatment of cancer, and they are mainly provided at the large state medical teaching hospitals located in the province.
The major hospitals, which are currently offering cancer medicines and cancer support, are:
- Peshawar Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC).
- Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar.
- Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH), Abbottabad.
Such institutions have their specialised departments within the SCP, which offer opportunities to the qualified patients to get consultations, chemotherapy treatments, diagnostic support services, and pharmaceutical supply services through the SCP framework.
How To Get Free Cancer Medicines Through Sehat Card Plus
Before the treatment is approved, there are a few crucial steps that cancer patients of KP need to follow to get free cancer drugs.
It typically starts with a trip to the oncology department of a given hospital. To verify children, it is required to have a valid CNIC or a B-Form issued by NADRA.
Eligibility Criteria For Free Cancer Treatment In KP
Over the last few years, healthcare access has been greatly extended to the KP population, offering a wide range of people in the province the opportunity to receive Sehat Card Plus treatment.
The key eligibility student criteria entail:
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa permanent residency.
- Valid 13-digit CNIC number among adults.
- B-Form to be used by children issued by NADRA.
- It is verified using records on the Sehat Card Plus.
What Is The New Jwandun Card Program?
Recently, the KP government launched the Jwandun Card program that helps patients who need costly procedures that might exceed the basic limits of the Sehat Card program.
The new program is oriented toward high medical interventions, including bone marrow transplants and special surgeries, which involve much higher treatment costs.
The Jwandun Card program is an attempt at sealing loopholes in financing healthcare provision to highly ill patients who are in need of a procedure that is unavailable within the current form of healthcare financing systems.
Funding Challenges Facing Cancer Treatment Services In 2026
Although the expansion of the public healthcare initiative provided KP with the cancer treatment system aiming at pro-cyclical profits, the system faced the threat of serious financial pressure in early 2026.
In April, it was reported that hospitals like the Hayatabad Medical Complex and the Khyber Teaching Hospital ran out of certain medicines because of the late allocation of funds to the essential areas and pending payments reportedly to the tune of PKR 680 million.
Childhood Cancer Support Expanding Across Pakistan
The healthcare sector in Pakistan is also planning wider healthcare support programs for cancer in children with international health organisations.
As part of a WHO-supported project, four Pakistani hospitals are set to obtain free childhood cancer medicines by the end of 2026.
The plan will enhance access to pediatric cancer treatment and curb shortages of medicine in young patients with cancer.
KP’s Expanding Healthcare System Reflects Broader Public Welfare Goals
Displayed are the KP government-initiated digital verification tools to make patient access easier and eliminate confusion over eligibility.
The residents can check their eligibility in the Sehat Card Plus by SMS services by sending their CNIC number to 9780.
Further assistance can be found at the official Sehat Card Plus helpdesk helpline:
- Helpline: 0800-89898
They also provide updates and information on the official site of the Sehat Sahulat Program.
And the Pursued Expanding Healthcare System at KP Reflects More General Public Welfare Goals.
The further development of Sehat Card Plus and related healthcare programs values the larger involvement of KP towards reinforcing systems of welfare among people despite economic limitations.
The deliberation on the accessibility of cancer treatment, high-end surgical assistance, and universal health care coverage indicates escalating institutional endeavours to raise medical protection of residents throughout Pakistan.
