More than six crore beneficiaries currently covered under the West Bengal Government’s Swasthya Sathi scheme will now be brought under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance programme from July, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced Saturday.
Adhikari made the announcement after a more than one-hour meeting with the Union Health Ministry virtually from Nabanna. The meeting was attended by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and senior officials from the Centre and the state government.
The Bengal chief minister also stated the Centre has approved Rs 3,000 crore to strengthen West Bengal’s healthcare infrastructure, of which the first instalment of Rs 500 crore had already been released. Of the total allocation, Rs 2,103 crore will be spent under the National Health Mission and Rs 976 crore under Ayushman Bharat, he said.
While addressing a press conference, Adhikari said, “Enrolment for Ayushman Bharat has already begun. We believe we will be able to issue Ayushman Bharat cards by July. Beneficiaries will be able to avail themselves of this scheme across India. We are hopeful that we will now be able to bring more than 6 crore cardholders associated with Swasthya Sathi into Ayushman Bharat. More people will be able to join later.”
Launching a sharp attack on the previous government, Adhikari alleged that it had failed to cooperate with the Centre on healthcare initiatives. “The previous government not only did not cooperate with the Centre in the health sector, but it also opposed it. As a result, millions and millions of people were deprived,” he said, adding that his government was preparing a roadmap for a “revolutionary change” in the state’s healthcare sector.
Adhikari said those who want to avail of the Ayushman Bharat and those who have not been associated with Swasthya Sathi so far will also be eligible for the Central scheme.
He said that the state would sign the Ayushman Arogya Mandir agreement with the Centre in Delhi during the first week of June. “Nearly 1 crore residents of West Bengal who are living in other states will also receive these healthcare benefits.”
Other announcements
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Adhikari also announced the launch of a cervical cancer vaccination programme in the state from May 30. More than seven lakh vaccine doses are expected to be administered to girls aged 14 to 15. “I myself will be present at the Bidhannagar Sub-Divisional Hospital that day to launch this project,” he said.
On the same day, the state will also host a workshop under the Centre’s “TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan”.
The Bengal chief minister further announced a major expansion of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras in the state. At present, West Bengal has 170 such outlets, a number that will be increased to 474 by including block-level health centres, sub-divisional hospitals, and district hospitals.
Highlighting challenges in the state’s healthcare sector, Adhikari said mortality rates among children under five and newborns remained high in districts such as Kolkata, Murshidabad, East Burdwan, Birbhum, and Malda. He also said leprosy infection rates in Birbhum, Bankura, Jhargram, West Burdwan, Purulia, and North Dinajpur were above the national average.
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Special infrastructure and treatment measures were being planned for these districts, he said.
Adhikari claimed that monthly medicine expenses for chronic illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure, which currently average around Rs 2,000, could drop to nearly Rs 200 at these government-supported pharmacies. Discounts under the Amrit Pharmacy scheme would also continue, he added.
Adhikari further said the state’s current National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) score stood at 53 per cent, below the national average of 58–59 per cent, and the government aimed to raise it to 100 per cent within the current financial year.
To address staff shortages in hospitals, he said the recruitment process for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers would be completed within the next three months under a “fully transparent policy”.
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The government also said work was being expedited to establish medical colleges in Kalimpong, Alipurduar, and South Dinajpur, in line with the goal of setting up one medical college in every district. A proposal for another medical college aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Asansol and North Bengal would soon be sent to the Centre, officials added.
