A delegation of BJP MPs met Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at Delhi and urged him to intervene and ensure implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha as people were deprived of the scheme due to the ‘obstinacy’ of the state BJD government.
The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) introduces the concept of a Unique Healthcare ID (UI-IID) which is useful for Odisha which has a sizable population of migrant workers, they noted adding that migrants are being denied this facility.
“It greatly pains us to inform that even after 3 years since the launch of the AB-PMJAY scheme, Odisha remains one of the few States where the government has not implemented Ayushrnan Bharat thereby depriving almost 60 lakh needy beneficiaries from availing of this pro-poor healthcare services”, said the BJP leaders.
The Economic Survey of India 2020-21 further notes that the proportion of households with health insurance increased by 89 percent from 2015-16to 2019-20 in states that implemented AB-PMJAY while falling by 12 percent over the same period in States that did not implement AB-PMJAY.
The infant mortality rates have declined by 20 percent in States that adopted AB-PMJAY. Similarly, States that adopted it witnessed a 19 percent reduction in their Under-5 mortality rate (U5MR).
The per capita spending by the Government of Odisha on healthcare is only Rs. 1,501 in 2020-21 financial year compared to the national average of Rs. 1,944.
Odisha’s dismal medical infrastructure was most recently exposed by the utter failure of the State Healthcare System during Covid- 19, and especially during 2nd Wave, they said adding that not a single state government hospital had a dedicated oxygen PSA plant.
The Odisha government is busy justifying its own Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana which is not true, they alleged.
The migration from the state is huge and the AB-PMJAY has pan-India portability, noted the BJP leaders.