SRINAGAR: When 26-year-old Pankaj Kumar from Jammu broke a leg recently in a farm accident and went through a long, expensive treatment that involved advanced surgery in private care, the J&K government picked up the tab. All expenses were paid through the Centre’s SEHAT scheme that offers free, universal healthcare.
For its part, the J&K government has been spending Rs 1.7 crore each day on treatment of needy patients after PM Modi launched the SEHAT scheme in December 2020, an official said. “Almost 1,000 patients apply each day for free IPD treatment in J&K, a record among all Union territories. J&K has become the first among the states and UTs to offer free health insurance to its residents, rich or poor. It never had a health insurance scheme for almost 70 years,” the official said.
People are given “gold cards”, which are health insurance cards that they can show at medical centres and get free treatment. Officials said 60 lakh such cards have been issued so far and 16.36 lakh families have registered at least one member with the scheme.
However, some people alleged that private nursing homes and hospitals were not accepting the cards. Mohi-ud-din Khanday from Tangmarg in Baramulla district complained that staff at Srinagar’s super-specialty hospital did not accept his ailing daughter’s card and the family had to buy expensive “equipment” on their own. His daughter is suffering from a kidney ailment.
Srinagar journalist Zulfikar Majid made a similar allegation. “My son recently had to undergo surgery, but the private nursing home at Raj Bagh rejected the government’s card.”
Officials acknowledged teething problems and warned of punitive action if anyone is denied treatment under the scheme. SEHAT provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh a family every year at empanelled hospitals. The scheme covers up to three days of pre-hospitalisation and 15 days of post-hospitalisation care.
One beneficiary, Abdul Majeed Ganie from Yaripora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, thanked SEHAT for giving his “sehat (health)” back. A piercing pain in the chest took him to hospital recently, where he was diagnosed with a heart disease. He is now on the mend and happy.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
SRINAGAR: When 26-year-old Pankaj Kumar from Jammu broke a leg recently in a farm accident and went through a long, expensive treatment that involved advanced surgery in private care, the J&K government picked up the tab. All expenses were paid through the Centre’s SEHAT scheme that offers free, universal healthcare. For its part, the J&K government has been spending Rs 1.7 crore each day on treatment of needy patients after PM Modi launched the SEHAT scheme in December 2020, an official said. “Almost 1,000 patients apply each day for free IPD treatment in J&K, a record among all Union territories. J&K has become the first among the states and UTs to offer free health insurance to its residents, rich or poor. It never had a health insurance scheme for almost 70 years,” the official said. People are given “gold cards”, which are health insurance cards that they can show at medical centres and get free treatment. Officials said 60 lakh such cards have been issued so far and 16.36 lakh families have registered at least one member with the scheme. However, some people alleged that private nursing homes and hospitals were not accepting the cards. Mohi-ud-din Khanday from Tangmarg in Baramulla district complained that staff at Srinagar’s super-specialty hospital did not accept his ailing daughter’s card and the family had to buy expensive “equipment” on their own. His daughter is suffering from a kidney ailment. Srinagar journalist Zulfikar Majid made a similar allegation. “My son recently had to undergo surgery, but the private nursing home at Raj Bagh rejected the government’s card.” Officials acknowledged teething problems and warned of punitive action if anyone is denied treatment under the scheme. SEHAT provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh a family every year at empanelled hospitals. The scheme covers up to three days of pre-hospitalisation and 15 days of post-hospitalisation care. One beneficiary, Abdul Majeed Ganie from Yaripora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, thanked SEHAT for giving his “sehat (health)” back. A piercing pain in the chest took him to hospital recently, where he was diagnosed with a heart disease. He is now on the mend and happy. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA