Demanding immediate payment of dues of Rs 30 crore on account of providing health services under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), the State-sponsored universal health coverage scheme, the All-Odisha Private Clinical Establishment Forum has said that private hospitals would stop providing health services until the money is not released.In a letter to the State Government on Wednesday, the forum alleged that despite drawing the authorities’ attention, no steps have been taken to release the pending amount of the private hospitals for providing healthcare services under the BSKY. The forum also demanded that the Government relax the norms for registration and ensure security for doctors and other staffs working at private hospitals.“Many private health clinics have stopped providing healthcare facilities in different districts including Puri, Khordha, Bhadrak and Baleswar. Why we would provide the services at cheaper rates and that too when the dues are yet to be cleared. Until the Government fulfils the demands, we will stop providing health services,” said forum secretary Indramani Jena.
Notably, with an aim to provide better healthcare to the people, the Government launched the BSKY on August 15, 2018. As many as 70 lakh families are included under the health coverage. Each family gets Rs 5 lakh health coverage per annum whereas women members of the family are provided with Rs 7 lakh coverage annually.
