Kolkata, August 16: The first patient registration under the Ayushman Bharat scheme was successfully completed in West Bengal on Sunday. The registration took place at the Medicare General Hospital in Kotulpur, Bankura district. This marks the beginning of a new era of cashless and accessible healthcare services for the people of the state.
According to the Chief Minister‘s Office (CMO), this is a significant step for West Bengal’s healthcare infrastructure. With the successful implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, individuals will no longer be deprived of better medical facilities due to financial constraints.
The CMO stated that the Ayushman Bharat scheme, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opens up new horizons for world-class and accessible healthcare services for the people of West Bengal. The scheme aims to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent anyone from receiving quality treatment.
Earlier on Sunday, the Ayushman Bharat scheme was officially launched in West Bengal at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata. The event was attended by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, State Health Minister Sharmistha Mukherjee, and Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel.
Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, treatment for 1,950 types of diseases will now be available in the state. Additionally, beneficiaries will also have access to knee replacement surgeries.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari noted that the previous government’s health insurance scheme covered around 1,700 diseases, which has now been increased to 1,950. He mentioned that knee replacement services will be available under both the Ayushman Bharat scheme and the state’s Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme.
According to the Chief Minister, approximately 14.3 million families, or about 60 million people, will benefit from the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Furthermore, every resident of the state aged 70 and above will also receive benefits under the scheme.
For those not covered by the central health insurance scheme, the state government has initiated the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme, which is expected to benefit around 8 million residents. Both schemes will provide healthcare services at 38,604 hospitals across the country.
The state government has also launched the ‘Amrit Pharmacy’ initiative to provide affordable medicines and medical supplies at government hospitals and health centers. This initiative will open sales centers in 10 government hospitals and health centers, offering medicines at discounts of 50 to 80 percent.
In this regard, the state government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Benny Joseph, the Technical Director (Operations) of Hindustan Lifecare Limited.
The Ayushman Bharat scheme was launched by the Narendra Modi government in 2018; however, it was not implemented during the tenure of the previous Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.
With the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in the state, a system has now been established to provide healthcare services to the people through both central and state health insurance schemes. The registration of the first patient in Kotulpur is seen as a significant indicator of this new arrangement taking effect.
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