Improved healthcare
Healthcare facilities for the common masses determine the achievements of various governments especially when we talk about the third world or developing nations and Jammu and Kashmir being no exception.
In a place like Jammu and Kashmir the healthcare sector, though managing to provide quality services to the people, but still lot remains to be achieves to set a higher bench mark. Right now the infrastructure in the health care sector is witnessing lot of investments and likewise the availability of healthcare facilities too are being looked into so that they reach the masses with ease.
One such scheme or facility that is bound to provide relief to the common man is the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)-SEHAT scheme which is being pursued to reach within the reach of every being in the UT.
For ensuring (AB PM-JAY)-SEHAT scheme’s reach the government has developed online facility for the citizens through which they can register for and later download their golden cards at the comfort of their homes. This has been done to achieve 100 percent saturation of Golden cards.
The initiative has been taken to ensure all the citizens get golden cards which provide five lakh health insurance cover. Notably, State Health Agency (SHA) recently rolled out an ambitious door-to-door exercise to achieve 100 percent saturation under the Ayushman Bharat PMJAY SEHAT scheme by the end of August month. Under the initiative of ‘Gaon Gaon Ayushman, State Health Agency (SHA) has also started ’ to reach out to even last mile villages which remain cut off from the rest of the world due to adverse weather conditions so as to percolate the benefits of the scheme down to every beneficiary.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the scheme was implemented through insurance mode with private Bajaj Allianz GIC as the implementing agency. This is for the first time that a public funded Health Insurance Scheme meant for the entire population is being implemented in the UT.
The scheme primarily focuses on financial protection from catastrophic health expenditures, which is the pillar of Universal Health Coverage. It is delivered through both public and private healthcare providers for secondary and tertiary care health services. It provides a cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year. All Medical and surgical conditions are included with minimal exclusions. It covers both Pre and Post hospitalization expenses and all pre-existing conditions are covered from day one.
This cashless treatment facility being provided by central government under ABPMJAY-SEHAT scheme after the abrogation of Article 370 for poor and needy families has substantially reduced their out-of-pocket expenditure as well as financial bankruptcy due to severe and prolonged illness, and expensive treatment.
With substantial health insurance coverage to populace of the Union Territory, J&K has bagged best performing Union Territory category for enrolment under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Under this scheme, more than 81.22 lakh persons (78.74%) have been registered making them eligible for free and quality treatment in empanelled hospitals of the country.
Nearly, 81.20 lakh persons have been issued golden cards. State Health Agency has also launched a citizen friendly facility for citizens to avail golden cards. The citizens can visit the website setu.pmjay.gov.in and register themselves and their families with details of ration cards issued by the Food and Supply Department and download their golden cards.
AB-PMJAY SEHAT scheme has been like a ray of hope for poor families who couldn’t afford health treatment at premier medical institutes of the country.
Recently, officials had directed for launching result oriented door- to -door campaign in all areas of J&K to achieve 100 percent saturation by end of August this year.
The cost of medical treatment has risen quite exponentially across the country and a common man whose life is stressed by securing other facilities for his survival is finding it hard to meet his healthcare needs.
Under such circumstances the (AB PM-JAY)-SEHAT scheme and getting a golden card to register for the scheme needs to be pursued with real zeal by the administration so that the entire population is covered under this scheme.
The providing of benefits for the people under this scheme will ensure that health benchmarks witness an increase and we are able to establish a health society.
KV News
