On July 10, 2025, the SHPI-II OPD Scheme was officially launched at Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital in Takht Bhai, District Mardan. Jointly organized by the Program Management Unit (PMU) and the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC), the launch event introduced a new outpatient healthcare initiative under the second phase of the Social Health Protection Initiative (SHPI-II). Implemented as a pilot in District Mardan, the scheme is designed to offer free outpatient services, including medical consultations, diagnostic tests, and medications, to families identified as eligible through a Proxy Means Test (PMT) score of 26 or below, as determined by the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders from national and provincial levels, including Members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, KfW’s senior sector specialist for health and social protection, the Health Advisor to the Government of KP, the Project Director of PMU-SHPI, the Operations Lead of SLIC, the National Lead of Management for Health (m4h), the District Health Officer (DHO), the Medical Superintendent (MS) of THQ Hospital Takht Bhai, and medical professionals from across the district. A senior team member from the research consortium, along with two research assistants from Khyber Medical University (KMU), also attended the event and held discussions with policy stakeholders and implementers.

The session began with an introductory briefing followed by a short informational video explaining the Sehat Card registration process and the scope of services available under the scheme. In subsequent speeches, both the KfW representative and KP’s Health Advisor emphasized the scheme’s role in expanding access to outpatient healthcare for economically vulnerable populations. The Health Advisor noted that the initiative aims to reach 60,000 families, approximately 400,000 individuals, during the pilot phase in Mardan.

As part of the official proceedings, the first OPD cards, known as Jwandoon Cards, were symbolically handed over to one male and one female beneficiary by the KP Health Advisor. To support public awareness and outreach, banners, billboards, and streamers were displayed across busy locations in the district. A dedicated SMS service, 9930, was also launched, allowing individuals to check their eligibility for enrollment.

Following the launch, beneficiary registration is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 14, 2025. Community awareness activities will continue across the district to inform eligible families about the scheme and guide them through the registration process.