The Government of Assam has expanded the scope of Atal Amrit Abhiyan, a health assurance scheme of the government. It has been expanded to cover six more diseases, critical care such as Japanese Encephalitis, non- cancer bone marrow transplantation and admission into the Intensive Care Unit.
The scheme was launched in December 2016. Prior to being made cashless in April 2018, the scheme meant for people in the Below and Above poverty lines received benefits up to Rs 2 lakhs and it covered 438 diseases.
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Japanese Encephalitis, a mosquito born disease is a major killer in the state of Assam, especially during the Monsoon season. This year till September, it has killed about 154 people.
Announcing the scheme, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that 1.61 crore people have enrolled in this scheme in the past 18 months but only 57,257 people received their cashless treatment. He said that most of the beneficiaries have shifted to the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Scheme which provided benefits up to Rs 5 Lakhs.
The Minister said that the 41 hospitals empanelled under the Atal Amrit Abhiyan experienced a chock-a-block situation and the scheme was a success. However, it was found that critical illnesses weren’t covered under the scheme and hence a cabinet decision was taken to include them within the ambit of the scheme.
The extended scheme will come into effect from November 1st after the State Health Department frames the appropriate rules for it.