Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed Tuesday said that the government has set aside billions for the health card scheme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but there has been no improvement in health facilities in the province, Aaj News reported.

The CJP said this while heading a three-member bench hearing a suo motu case in Islamabad regarding the rising cases of breast cancer.

The Supreme Court also instructed the federal and provincial health secretaries to submit a report about breast cancer. The top court also summoned Balochistan's health secretary at the next hearing.

"Where are these billions of rupees [set aside for KP health card scheme] being spent," the CJP asked.

KP's advocate general informed the court that the province had fixed Rs 3 billion for the project and that the PC-1 of the project has been developed.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail remarked that manpower was the major issue with no one able to operate the equipment -- worth millions of rupees -- that has beeen provided to the hospitals

The advocate general also informed the court that the KP government has issued health cards to facilitate the people. Registered citizens would be able to avail treatment of up to Rs 1 million for free, he added.

The chief justice remarked that there was no proper oxygen facility in KP's Civil Hospital, while x-ray machines were dysfunctional.

The apex court then adjourned the hearing of the case for one week.