Suvendu: Ayushman Bharat Set To Start in WB From July

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Saturday the rollout of Ayushman Bharat, the central health scheme, in the state from July. He informed that the project would cover over six crore people who have already enrolled themselves in the Swasthya Sathi project of the previous government of Trinamul Congress.

Mr Adhikari also shared a series of steps to improve the health sector after attending a virtual meeting with the union health ministry officials in New Delhi. He said at the state secretariat Nabanna, “We are bringing a revolutionary change in healthcare here. Work for Ayushman Bharat has been underway. We believe that the distribution of cards will start from July.”

He added, “We intend to bring more than six crore beneficiaries of Swasthya Sathi under this scheme. Later more subscribers will be included. Around one crore people, who are from this state but are based outside, will get the benefit. We have decided to finalize an agreement of Ayushman Arogya Mandir with the union health ministry at an event in the first week of June.”

Mr Adhikari then highlighted the start of preventive vaccination of cervical cancer in the state from May 30 when TB-free workshops would also get underway. “The Centre wants to offer more than seven lakh doses to our state to tackle cervical cancer. These doses can be provided to girls of 14-15 years. I will launch the drive at Bidhannagar Sub Division Hospital.”

He later stated that more than 400 PM Jan Oushadhi Centre would be opened in the state to offer medicines of critical diseases at a discount of 80%. Mr Adhikari underlined that four administrative districts of the state— Alipurduar, Kalimpong, Asansol and South Dinajpur— still have no medical colleges for which land proposals would be sent to Centre.