Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojna (PM-JAY) under Ayushman Bharat Mission will cover treatments of all urological disorders including prostate cancer and the charges have already been fixed, said Dr Anup Kumar, Head of Department, Department of Urology and Renal transplant, Safdarjung Hospital, on Tuesday.
Dr Kumar said, “Under PM-JAY, the government, in consultations with healthcare providers has fixed up charges for treatments for all urological disorders and that will be reimbursed by the insurers.”
According to Dr Kumar, the cancer treatment of any sort can cost up to 3 to 4 lakh per month in a good hospital which makes it unaffordable for many. “Due to lack of awareness in rural areas people tend to ignore prostate problems and now with PM-JAY in place, a large number of people can avail treatments for Prostate cancer which is the second largest cancer in the country,” he said.
Under the scheme, a large number of people can avail treatment for urological disorders, Dr P N Dogra, head of department of urology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said, backing Kumar’s views. Rising cases of enlargement of the prostate, which is not a result of cancer and is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, and prostate cancer are major challenges for the Indian health systems, said Dr Dogra.