In a historic move by the Odisha Government in the healthcare sector, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday began distributing Smart Health Cards among the beneficiaries under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) from tribals-dominated Malkangiri district.
The cards were distributed at a programme at the Sanskruti Bhawan in the district headquarters. A tribal woman belonging to the Bonda community, Sukri Dhadanga Majhi, was the first recipient of the health card from the CM at the event.
As many as 96 lakh households and 3.5 crore BSKY beneficiaries would get the Smart Health Cards. The healthcare facilities through the card would be availed at all Government-run as well as private hospitals in State with effect from September 1, 2021.
With this, Odisha became the first State in India to introduce such a healthcare facility. “It’s a historic, paradigm shift in the system of healthcare services in India, where a patient will get the best healthcare without any expense,” Patnaik said at the event. Highlighting the correlation between health and economy, he said, “Health is Wealth. If anyone in family falls sick, we get worried for the expenses that we bear at hospitals towards treatment, for which someone sells his property or opts for loan. Even some stop education of children midway for treatment.”
“This Smart Health Card will help minimise additional pressure on households to bear treatment costs at hospitals so that people can spend their savings on education of their children and other household work,” Patnaik said.
Through the Smart Health Card, each family can avail treatment cost of up to Rs 5 lakh per annum. For a woman member, the benefit is Rs 10 lakh. About 3.5 crore people of 96 lakh families would benefit from scheme All Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana cardholders, BPL cardholders, AAY cardholders and low income families are covered under this particular sheme.