The Delhi Government may be refusing to be part of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat health insurance programme — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) — but big private hospitals in the national Capital are gradually showing keenness to be part of the world's largest healthcare scheme.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Thursday became the first 700-bed high capacity multi-speciality health institution hospital from the national capital to sign a pact with the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Union Health Ministry for empanelment in the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

The agreement was signed by NHA CEO Dr Indu Bhushan and additional director (medical) of the hospital Dr Satendra Katoch here.

"Sir Ganga Ram Hospital has become the first 700-bed high capacity multi-speciality tertiary care hospital from Delhi to join Ayushman Bharat. Many more will follow soon," Bhushan said.

He said this is the first big hospital in Delhi to get empanelled into the scheme after the NHA in September had invited private hospitals in Delhi that are accredited with the National Accreditation Board of Hospitals (NABH)  to get empanelled with the AB-PMJAY

It provides healthcare benefits worth Rs five lakh to each eligible family per year in government and empanelled private hospitals.

According to Dr D S Rana, Chairman (BOM), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, "We deeply value the ethos of Ayushman Bharat - Prime Minister Jan Arogya Yojna . Our hospital will contribute towards the vision of Prime Minister to provide health for all Indians."

NABH-accredited hospitals in Delhi include Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket; Fortis, Shalimar Bagh; Fortis, Vasant Kunj, Moolchand Hospital; Delhi Heart and Lung Institute; Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute; Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute; Batra Hospital; Sitaram Bhartia Institute; and Primus

Super Speciality Hospital, among others.