Even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has on Sunday launched the smart health cards under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, which is expected to benefit around 3.5 crore people, the State lost its share in the funds devolved under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana during the pandemic period.
While the Odisha government has decided not to implement the Modicare or AB-PMJAY on the ground that it has its own Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, which also has its own YSR Arogyashree Health Insurance Scheme, has availed a massive Rs 261.23 crore in FY 2020-21 - the pandemic year.
Significantly, when the Centre has today claimed that a massive 3.27 lakh authorised hospital admissions for Covid-19 has been recorded, there is no such data available in the public domain about the number of Covid-19 patients availing the benefit under BSKY in Odisha.
Covid-19 Treatment Costs A Fortune
The treatment of Coivd-19 has been costing a fortune in the State. To date, Odisha saw a whopping 5,044deaths during the second wave as against around 2,040 in the first wave. Ground reports suggest many lives were lost due to late or non-availability of proper treatment.
Moreover, data available shows that with the lung infection in the State having been risen by around 40-50 per cent in the second wave, the high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan has been the new normal in the State during the second wave. The cost of HRCT in the State has been between Rs 4000-5000. Moreover, the essential tests suggested by Union Health Ministry to treat Covid-19 complications during the dangerous second wave are - CRP (C-reactive protein), D-dimer, CBC, Ferritin etc, which together costs another Rs5000. Moreover, RTPCR tests cost in Odisha at around Rs 1000-1200.
NGO studies on the ground show that many poor people succumbed in the State as they could not afford the cost required to treat the complications due to Covid-19. Many couldn't avail the benefit of BSKY.
Odisha Vs Andhra Pradesh
As per the data released by the Union Health Ministry today, neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has received Rs 177.54 crore towards testing and treatment of Covid-19 patients in the State. Odisha couldn't claim its share as the scheme is not implemented in the State.
While Odisha has earmarked a sum of Rs 9,340 cr to the health sector in the 2021-22 Budget, which is 6.4 per cent of the total expenditure for the year 2021-22. For BSKY, the budget allocated a sum of Rs 1,353cr.
Neighbour Andhra Pradesh has allocated Rs 14,088 cr to the health sector, which is 6.6 percent of the total expenditure estimated for the year 2021-22. It has allocated Rs 1,559 cr toward the YSR Arogyashree Health Insurance Scheme.
Even after earmarking more than Odisha, the State has received Rs 374 cr under PM-JAY in 2019-20 and Rs 261.23 cr in 2020-21. Moreover, a massive 87,081 authorised hospital admissions happened under Covid-19 treatment in the State.
But Odisha loses out in the fund race during the pandemic period. Even, Chhattisgarh has received Rs 15.12 crore towards testing and treatment for Covid-19 under the PM-JAY.