Srinagar, June 23: Dialysis and cancer patients undergoing treatment under the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY/SEHAT Scheme will protest in Srinagar on June 27 to prevent the proposed de-empanelment of private hospitals from the scheme from July 1.
The announcement comes in wake of Jammu and Kashmir Private Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association’s (JKPHDA) decision to de-empanel its member hospitals from Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT Scheme, citing non-payment of dues by the State Health Agency (SHA).
Patients, many of whom have been receiving life-saving dialysis and chemotherapy treatment at private empanelled hospitals for years, fear that the move will severely impact their access to essential healthcare services.
With government hospitals already facing a heavy patient load and limited dialysis and oncology facilities, thousands of beneficiaries fear disruption in treatment, increased out-of-pocket expenditure, and serious risks to their health.
Majid Ahmad, a dialysis patient from Srinagar, said he has been undergoing regular treatment for the past two years and fears that the suspension of services under the PM-JAY scheme could jeopardize his life.
“We are already struggling to make ends meet, and the PM-JAY scheme has been our only support. If these services stop, it will be a matter of life and death for patients like me,” he said.
“This scheme gave us hope and a chance to continue living despite our illness. If it is discontinued, many of us will be left helpless with nowhere to go,” he added, appealing to the authorities to ensure uninterrupted treatment for dialysis and cancer patients.
The protesting patients have demanded the continuation of cashless Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT services in private hospitals until adequate treatment capacity is developed in the public healthcare sector.
They have also called for a time-bound, patient-centric transition plan to ensure that no dialysis or chemotherapy patient’s treatment is interrupted midway.
“Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT has been a lifeline for poor patients. De-empanelment without alternative arrangements would amount to a death sentence for many of us,” a group of patients and attendants said.
The protesters appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Health and Medical Education Department to release the pending dues of private hospitals and ensure uninterrupted treatment for beneficiaries beyond July 1.
