5.38 lakh families to get cashless health cover

Tribune News Service       

Dehradun, May 16

A total of 5.38 lakh families of Uttarakhand will be able to avail health cover under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, the memorandum of which has been signed by the Uttarakhand government.

The cashless health scheme would prove to be a boon for families who hail from economically weaker sections and cannot foot medical bills.

Secretary Health Nitesh Jha said that those covered would be able to avail medical treatment at the empanelled hospitals even outside the state.

The Universal Health Card entails treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in the empanelled hospital. The entire scheme is cashless and paperless and the formalities for the scheme would be completed in the coming five months.

Jha said that priority was being given to the health services. In order to end the shortage of doctors as many as 478 specialist doctors had been appointed. Even in the remote areas, facility of the doctors has been provided. In March 2017, against the strength of 2,725 doctors, 1,364 were available in the state. 

He said that the strength of the doctors had been increased to 2,150. Efforts are being made to recruit para-medical staff in the state. ASHA workers under the National Health Mission, who were not getting any honorarium from past five years, have been given one time honorarium of Rs 25,000.