Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is set to implement the Centre’s health coverage scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) by the end of this financial year.
Announcing this on Sunday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said Ayushman Bharat scheme will be integrated together with the state’s own health scheme – Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY).
Stating that the state government is taking steps to implement Ayushman Bharat Yojana Part 1 and 2, Mahaling said a meeting has been held with the Chief Minister in this regard and discussions are underway with the Centre.
Cards will be issued by the end of the current financial year, the Minister said, adding that there will be one card for both Ayushman Yojana and GJAY. Around 3.5 crore beneficiaries will get the special health card.
The new card will be provided by the end of the current financial year. Earlier, medical facilities were available in 950 private hospitals for the cardholders under the old scheme. After the launch of the new scheme, people will get medical facilities in 27,000 hospitals across the country.
Mahaling also stated that a massive awareness campaign will be launched to combat cervical cancer. As part of this initiative, the government plans to set up health camps in schools and colleges, which will also facilitate vaccination drives.
These camps will provide free vaccinations to ensure that everyone has access to this life-saving measure. The health minister emphasized that female teenagers in India are particularly vulnerable to developing cervical cancer.
Talks are underway at the central level to raise awareness and promote prevention. The goal is to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, he said.
