Heart operations top health scheme list of BPL families

Dr Kanchan Jagtap,Deputy Director of Health,Pune Circle told The Indian Express that in 2012-13,a total of 1,352 operations were performed of which 1,266 were heart surgeries for BPL patients. The number of BPL patients getting cancer treatment rose from 24 in 2011-12 to 64 in 2012-13.

While the state government has been implementing the Yojana since 1997 to provide assistance to financially weaker sections,the health insurance scheme has been further upgraded to Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandai Arogya Yojana where 972 procedures have been identified along with 121 follow-up packages in 30 specialised categories.

State health authorities said so far the Rajiv Gandhi Health Scheme has been introduced in eight districts where over 50 lakh BPL families have availed of benefits. However,in Pune,the scheme has yet to be implemented,Dr D G Kulkarni,Medical Superintendent,Sassoon General Hospital said and added that the scheme is presently functional.

Jagtap said persons whose annual income was approximately Rs 20,000 and less could get medical services under the scheme at recognised government and private hospitals. This year,Rs 20.77 crore has been spent on the programme. There were eight kidney transplants and 14 surgeries related to the central nervous system. There were 40 children from Zilla Parishad schools who availed of medical services like surgeries under the scheme.

In 2012-13,a total of 55 children from Zilla Parishad schools were treated under the scheme.

Jagtap said beneficiaries could get medical services from hospitals like Sahyadri,Ruby Hall,Deendayal,Inlaks and Budhrani,Sassoon general hospital,KEM hospital,and the Armed Forces Medical College’s Command Hospital.

According to state health officials,the revised Rajiv Gandhi scheme introduced to improve cashless health access for families with an annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh will soon be launched in other districts.

Yellow and orange card holders will be included wherein patients get admitted,operated upon and discharged without paying any money.

The entire premium per year per family is paid by the government and the sum insured per family is Rs 1.5 lakh.