More hospitals under PPP model in aspirational districts

Finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that hospitals will come up on the PPP (public private partnership) model in 112 aspirational district of India and preference will be given to districts where there are no Ayushman Bharat empaneled hospitals till now.

As many as 112 aspirational districts have been identified, including tier-2 and tier 3 cities, to have empanelled hospitals to treat the economically weaker sections under the scheme.

Total number of hospitals empaneled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme is 2552, as per State Agency For Comprehensive Health Insurance and Integrated Services (SACHIS). The aspirational districts too have empaneled hospitals but majority are CHCs that fail to provide speciality care to serious patients. People in these districts in Uttar Pradesh can hope for better care soon.

Shrawasti has 5 private and 16 public sector hospital empanelled, Sonebhadra has 16 private and 8 public sector hospital, Siddharthnagar 3 private and 12 public sector hospital, Fatehpur has 6 private and 12 government hospitals, Chitrakoot has 7 public sector hospitals and no private, Chandauli 22 private and 7 government, Bahraich has 5 private and 16 public sector, Balrampur has 10 private and 12 public sector empaneled hospitals.

Uttar Pradesh has 1.18 crore families enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme that gives facility of cashless treatment for up to ₹.5 million in a year, to a family.

To meet shortage of doctors in the country the government has proposed to attach a medical college to a district hospital in PPP mode. These will be set up in 112 aspirational districts. The health outlay in the Union Budget 2020-2021 has been increased from the previous year’s outlay of Rs 62,659 crore. This year an allocation of Rs 69,000 crores.