KOLKATA: West Bengal is set to become the 36th state to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), marking a major step in the country’s push towards universal health coverage.According to a press release, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the scheme in the state will be signed on June 8 between the National Health Authority (NHA), under the ministry of health and family welfare and the department of health and family welfare, Bengal government, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.“With the signing of the MoU, West Bengal will become the 36th State/Union Territory in the country to implement AB PM-JAY. The development marks a major milestone in the journey towards achieving equitable and accessible healthcare for all citizens across the nation,” the release stated.The MoU signing ceremony will be presided over by Union health minister JP Nadda in the presence of West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, minister of state for health and family welfare and ministry of ayush Pratap Rao Jadhav, Union minister of state for health and family welfare and chemicals and fertilizers Anupriya Patel, Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, West Bengal chief secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal, and other senior officials from the Ministry of health and family welfare, national health authority and the West Bengal government.According to the release, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY offers health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to eligible beneficiaries.The release stated that since its launch, the scheme has become a key part of India’s healthcare transformation by reducing out-of-pocket expenditure and improving access to quality treatment through a network of empanelled public and private hospitals.The implementation of AB PM-JAY in the state is expected to provide financial protection against catastrophic health expenditure to millions of eligible beneficiaries in the state and ensure portability of healthcare benefits across the country.“It will also strengthen the State’s healthcare ecosystem by enhancing access to quality and affordable healthcare services,” the release added.(With inputs from ANI)
