CM Children Heart Surgery Program: Apply Online and Get Child Surgery Card

1. Overview

The CM Children Heart Surgery Program is a flagship healthcare initiative launched by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to provide free, life-saving cardiac surgeries to children suffering from congenital or acquired heart diseases.

Key Objectives:

• Reduce child mortality caused by delayed heart surgeries.
• Eliminate financial barriers for families.
• Expand pediatric cardiac care capacity in government and private hospitals.
• Ensure timely treatmentthrough streamlined processes.

Impact:

• 5,000+ childrendie annually in Punjab due to lack of access to heart surgeries.
• The program aims to save these livesby providing free surgeries and post-operative care.

2. Program Phases

Phase 1 (Initial Rollout)

• Hospitals Included:
  • Government Hospitals:
    • Children’s Hospital Lahore
    • Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore
    • Children’s Hospital Multan
    • Rawalpindi Cardiology Institute
  • Private Hospitals:
    • 4 in Lahore
    • 3 in Multan
    • 1 in Islamabad

Phase 2 (Expansion)

• Additional Cities:
  • Wazirabad
  • Dera Ghazi Khan
  • Bahawalpur
  • Sargodha
• More hospitalswill be added to increase accessibility.

3. Key Features & Benefits

1. Free Heart Surgeries & Treatment

• Government-fundedsurgeries, including:
  • Open-heart surgeries
  • Cardiac interventions
  • Post-operative care

2. Child Surgery Card

• A PVC health cardissued to eligible children.
• Ensures priority accessto treatment in both government and private hospitals.
• If government hospitals are full, patients are referred to empaneled private hospitals at no cost.

3. Online Dashboard & Digital Management

• Developed by PITB (Punjab Information Technology Board).
• Features:
  • Patient Registration(secure EMRs)
  • Urgency Assessment(priority for critical cases)
  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Real-time Progress Tracking

4. Increased Medical Capacity

• Training more pediatric cardiac surgeons & allied staff.
• Upgrading hospital facilitieswith advanced equipment.

4. Achievements So Far (As of November 2024)

✅ 5,300+ children registered for treatment.
✅ 530+ successful heart surgeries performed.
✅ 450+ cardiac interventions completed.
✅ Reduced waiting times from 1+ year to weeks.

5. Eligibility & Registration Process

Who Can Apply?

• Children (0-18 years) with congenital or acquired heart diseases.
• Residents of Punjab(children from other provinces also considered).

How to Register?

1. Visit any participating government hospital.
2. Submit:
   • Child’s B-Formor birth certificate.
   • Parent/guardian’s CNIC.
   • Medical reports (if available).
3. Receive a Child Surgery Cardfor free treatment.

6. Monitoring & Transparency

• Dedicated dashboardtracks:
  • Patient registrations
  • Surgery progress
  • Hospital performance
• Ensures merit-based, corruption-freeservice delivery.

7. Future Goals

🔹 Expand to more districts (Phase 2).
🔹 Increase surgeon training programs.
🔹 Enhance partnerships with international cardiac centers.
🔹 Awareness campaigns for early diagnosis.

8. FAQs

Q1. Is there any cost for the surgery?

• No, all treatments (surgery, medicines, hospitalization) are 100% free.

Q2. Can children from other provinces apply?

• Yes, children from KP, Sindh, and Balochistan are also eligible.

Q3. How long is the waiting time?

• Previously 1+ year, now reduced to weeksdue to expanded capacity.

Q4. What if government hospitals are full?

• Patients are referred to private hospitalsunder the program.

Q5. How can I check my child’s surgery status?

• Via the online dashboardor hospital updates.

9. Conclusion

The CM Children Heart Surgery Program is a revolutionary step in Pakistan’s healthcare system, ensuring no child dies due to lack of treatment. With free surgeries, digital tracking, and expanded facilities, it sets a benchmark for accessible, equitable pediatric care.

“Every child deserves a healthy heart.” – CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif