Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday decided to extend universal free health services under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) in the state from February 1.
An announcement to this effect was made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
All patients, irrespective of APL or BPL category will avail this facility. Besides, all patients under these two categories will also avail Blood Bank facility free of cost. Earlier, free treatment facilities for all were available from the sub-centres at the village level up to the district headquarters hospital level.
BKKY was launched on August 15, 2018 and in the next five months since then, the scheme has received an overwhelming response with over 2.25 crore instances of free healthcare availed by the people.
In the initial phase of BSKY, all health services in government facilities up to the DHH level had been made free for all persons.
Cashless care is being provided to all persons with no requirement of any income or residence proof or any other document. The free services will cover all procedures provided in all government health facilities including in-patient beds, surgeries, OT facility, ICU facility etc. For this, the state government has made an additional provision of over Rs 100 crore from the state budget.
