Former Minister U.T. Khader, MLA, on Tuesday urged the district administration to open a helpline at the Deputy Commissioner or district in-charge Minister’s office to help beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharath scheme.
Mr. Khader told reporters here that the district in-charge Minister had said that COVID-19 positive patients would be treated for free at all private hospitals under Ayushman Bharath. However, confusion still prevails with regard to treatment and billing, he said.
The district nodal officer handling the scheme was suddenly removed and a medical doctor was proposed to be appointed to that role. It was not proper to appoint a doctor who has to treat patients as a nodal officer, Mr. Khader said, urging the government to appoint a non-medical doctor to discharge the responsibility.
Former Minister K. Abhayachandra Jain said the government was not responding to the strike by contractual health support staff. Many people have told him that it was difficult to get treatment in private hospitals under the Ayushman scheme, he said adding Mr. Khader had rejuvenated the healthcare system when heading the health and family welfare department.
Mr. Jain said it was essential that the Health Minister, Ministers and legislators work in unison to fight COVID-19. Despite there being several schemes from the government, it was an irony that poor were struggling to get treated in private hospitals, he regretted.