Srinagar, July 10: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar today emphasised on the effective implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY), saying that this flagship scheme provides health coverage to economically vulnerable sections of society.
The Advisor made these remarks while addressing the inaugural session of two days Northern Regional Review Meeting -Ayushman Sangam at Hotel Raddison Blu here.
The meeting organised by National Health Authority, GoI and State Health Agency (SHA), J&K, aimed at enhancing the implementation of the ABPMJAY scheme in the Northern region. The meeting also took stock of past progress as well as drew a future roadmap for the smooth implementation of the scheme.
CEO, NHA, S. Gopalakrishnan; Additional CEO, NHA, Dr. Basant Garg; Secretary Health and Medical Education, J&K, Bhupinder Kumar; CEO, SHA, J&K, Sanjiv M Gadkar, CEOs and representatives of seven Northern States and UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Chandigarh and Ladakh were present during the meeting.
Addressing the gathering, Advisor Bhatnagar said that under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha and support of central government, the J&K government made AB-PMJAY scheme universal and all the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir have been covered under the scheme. He added that for a fast growing nation like India, health is an important indicator to achieve the aspirations of this growth trajectory.
The Advisor, on the occasion, emphasized upon the utilisation of government hospitals to its best, highlighting that management of hospitals is very important to meet the aspirations of common people.
During his address, Advisor Bhatnagar commended the efforts of all stakeholders involved in the execution of ABPMJAY, highlighting the positive impact it has had on the lives of countless individuals in the country. He stressed the need for continued collaboration between the government, healthcare providers, and insurance agencies to maximize the scheme’s benefits and extend its reach to even the remotest corners of society.
Advisor Bhatnagar further said that the medical infrastructure is witnessing remarkable growth in J&K, as State of Art Medicities are being established here. He added that two AIIMS, Cancer institutes, seven new medical colleges and other important infrastructure had been put in J&K to provide advanced medical care facilities to people here.
Speaking on the occasion, CEO, NHA, said that empanelment of hospitals is very important for the effective implementation of AB-PMJAY. He impressed upon the representatives of States and UTs for timely settlement of payments so that the people can take due benefits of the scheme.
During the meeting, Additional CEO, NHA gave a detailed presentation on the progress achieved by Northern States and UTs in the implementation of AB-PMJAY scheme.
The Northern Regional Review Meeting – Ayushman Sangam witnessed active participation in which the representatives and officers were engaged in productive discussions on crucial topics, including increasing awareness about the scheme, streamlining the claims process, ensuring quality healthcare delivery, and fostering public-private partnerships to enhance healthcare infrastructure.