Kanpur: Kanpur leads the state in providing health coverage to seniors over the age of 70. According to data from National Health Authority as of Oct 6, 110,249 Ayushman Vaya Vandana cards have been issued in Kanpur. In this regard, Kanpur Nagar is ahead of other major districts in the state, including Jaunpur, Lucknow, Varanasi and Prayagraj.Following Kanpur Nagar, 96,795 cards have been issued in Jaunpur and 87,928 in Lucknow. Cards have also been issued in the following numbers: 82,783 in Varanasi, 79,433 in Hardoi, 78,807 in Prayagraj, 77,038 in Agra, 75,308 in Gorakhpur, 72,948 in Azamgarh, and 68,707 in Ghazipur.Dr S P Yadav, nodal officer and deputy chief medical officer, stated there were no financial eligibility criteria for the scheme. Any senior citizen aged 70 years or older could obtain the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card. For eligibility purposes, the age recorded on the Aadhaar card is considered valid, and Aadhaar-based e-KYC is mandatory. The cardholder gets the facility of cashless treatment up to five lakh rupees under the scheme.He said the scheme covered 1,961 treatment procedures across 27 medical specialties, including heart disease, cancer, bone and joint disorders, general surgery, dialysis, stroke management, angioplasty, pacemaker implantation, and hip and knee treatments.A special campaign is under way to ensure no eligible person aged 70 or above is left without an Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card, Yadav said. Health department teams are contacting eligible senior citizens to issue cards and explain the scheme’s benefits. Yadav attributed the state’s high number of issued cards to the teams’ continuous efforts.Kalyanpur resident Rajendra Katiyar (76), who was suffering from heart disease, underwent treatment on medical advice and had a pacemaker implanted using the ‘Vay Vandana’ card.Rajrani (72), a resident of Barra, received significant financial assistance for her lengthy and expensive cancer treatment through the Ayushman card, easing the burden on her family.
