Guwahati, 26th July: In a significant policy shift, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that major health procedures, including heart and kidney transplants under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, will now be conducted in both private nursing homes and government hospitals. However, minor procedures will be restricted to government facilities.
This decision aims to address the negative impact minor procedures in private nursing homes have had on government hospitals, including allegations of corruption. CM Sarma emphasized that Ayushman Bharat cardholders will only be able to use private nursing homes for critical health issues that cannot be managed by government hospitals.
The state government has identified 300 procedures available in both private and government hospitals. For serious conditions like cancer, patients can seek treatment at institutions such as B Baruah Cancer Hospital, Guwahati Medical College, and the TATA-government partnership hospital.
The Chief Minister pointed out that private nursing homes often charge the Ayushman Bharat fund and impose additional fees on patients, a practice not seen in government hospitals. To reinforce the role of government hospitals, minor procedures will no longer be covered in private nursing homes under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
CM Sarma called for public cooperation to support this initiative, emphasizing that continued financial support to private nursing homes could weaken the state’s government hospitals. He urged everyone to work together to strengthen public health infrastructure in Assam.