All India Congress Committee (AICC) national spokesperson Dr Sravan Dasoju on Wednesday demanded the Telangana Government to return the money spent by the poor for medical treatment at private hospitals before implementation of Ayushman Bharat scheme in the state.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Dasoju said, "On behalf of the Telangana Congress, we welcome the decision of the state government to implement the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the state that provides a medical cover of Rs 5 lakh to each family. But I demand the chief minister to answer that why has he delayed the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the state for these years while this health scheme has been introduced in the year 2018."
The Congress leader said by not including COVID treatment into Aarogyasri and further delaying implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the state, lakhs of poor people have been led to suffer and pay thousands of crores of rupees to private hospitals to avail treatment.
"If the Telangana Government had taken this decision of implementing Ayushman Bharat in the state earlier then, many poor might have not sold their sweat and blood to get treatment. The chief minister of any state is expected to be proactive especially during pandemic times or at least respond when the opposition parties place an appeal," he said.
Dr Dasoju demanded that the money paid by the poor for the treatment at private hospitals, while the Ayushman Bharat has not been implemented in the state be paid back to them by the state government.
"The Chief Minister of Telangana must also make sure that there is a capping of the charges of treatment at private hospitals. If the private hospitals drain out all the 5 lakh rupees medical cover under Ayushman Bharat Scheme, that is supposed to be used for all the family members of a family," he cautioned.
He also demanded that the government's June 15, 2020 order which imposed a cap on charges of COVID treatment at all private hospitals be properly implemented in the state. He said that if the order is properly implemented, the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme will be successful.
On Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav's converting his residence into a COVID isolation centre, Dr Dasoju said, "He is a leader of the youth and has a great heart. Every leader of this country should take Tejashwi Yadav as inspiration and come forward to covert their residences into COVID isolation centres."
Earlier, Telangana Government informed that the state will implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the state. Telangana state medical and health department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority in order to provide medical services under Ayushman Bharat Scheme, informed the Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday.
( With inputs from ANI )
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