Kolkata: Ayushman Bharat (AB) patients continued to trickle in for the second day on Tuesday. The AB-PMJAY scheme for Bengal was rolled out Sunday. Hospitals started admitting patients under this scheme from Monday.In addition, the empaneled private hospitals are also getting calls from individuals enquiring on documents required to bring to the hospital in case they needed treatment, the procedures covered under this health scheme etc. Health officials said that more hospitals are undergoing the final touches for getting empaneled.“We got one patient admitted on Tuesday while two others who got their AB-PMJAY approval on Tuesday will come for admission on Wednesday for carciac procedures. We are expecting a couple of cancer patients by next week as we have got calls including from one who already has an AB card,” Subhashis Datta, chief operations manager Ruby General Hospital.The state has already identified around 6 crore individuals as beneficiaries of the health scheme, out of which e-KYC has been completed for about around 3.4 crores beneficiaries. Many of them got their AB cards on Sunday during the rollout on Sunday at Netaji Indoor Stadium.Belle Vue Clinic, one of the hospitals that got an AB patient admitted on Monday, did not get any patient on Tuesday. But with AB desk at the hospital getting calls, the hospital expects more patients in the days to come.“The admission desk in our hospital got at least 11 calls on Tuesday asking if Belle Vue is empaneled for AB-PMJAY and if procedures like hip and knee replacement surgeries are covered by this scheme. So, there is a good response and we expect to take in more patients in the days to come,” said Pradip Tondon, CEO of Belle Vue Clinic.Narayana Health group COO R Venkatesh said that hospitals, including RN Tagore and Naryana Superspecialty Hospital Howrah, are getting calls from patients with enquiries on the scheme. “Some patients are calling up asking if the procedure they intend to undergo is covered under the scheme. We just need to install the biometric machine so that we can start taking in AB patients at the earliest,” said Venkatesh.
