Transgenders will get composite health package and services under the Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY scheme. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between National Health Authority (NHA) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Social Justice and Empowerment on Wednesday.
As per a PIB release, the MoU was signed by Dr RS Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority (NHA) and R Subramanyam, Secretary, DoSJE in presence of Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Hailing the MoU, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that it is one of its kind in the country which will give impetus to ensuring rightful and respectable place for transgender community by accessing healthcare services under AB-PMJAY. “This MOU has laid the foundation for a landmark transformational reform in the society. The move which provides special healthcare benefits to the Transgender Community goes beyond ensuring equality for the disadvantaged community”, he said.
Noting that the transgender community suffers stigma and exclusion, Mandaviya stressed that the provisioning of healthcare services under AB- PMJAY is a significant and firm step towards an inclusive society. It is pertinent to mention here that the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has taken several initiatives for the transgender community including “The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019”, Garima Greh, PM Daksh program or other schemes.
Highlights:
The MoU between National Health Authority (NHA) and the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) will extend all healthcare benefits to transgender persons (holding a transgender certificate issued by the National Portal for transgender persons) across the country.
MoSJE will fund Rs.5 lakh insurance cover per transgender beneficiary per annum. A comprehensive package master is being prepared for transgender category including the existing AB PM-JAY packages and specific packages (Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) and treatment) for transgenders.
They will be eligible to seek treatment in any of the AB PM-JAY empanelled hospitals across the country, where specific packages are available. The scheme would cover all transgender persons not receiving such benefits from other centre/state sponsored schemes.
(With PIB inputs)