NAGPUR: Government hospitals across the city that had started surgeries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme 2-3 months back have stopped the surgeries from the past two weeks. Not receiving remuneration for the nine surgeries done so far from the insurance companies empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat has been quoted as the reason for the same. There are more than 50 patients in the immediate wait list.

All four Government hospitals in the city come under the Ayushman Bharat. Daga Memorial Women and Child Hospital has not done any surgery so far under the scheme while the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) has done 5 hip and knee replacement surgeries. Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has done one hip replacement and Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) has done 3 heart surgeries. An amount of about Rs 12-15 lakh is pending with the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojna (MJPJAY), the disbursing agency for the national scheme.

The hospitals have stopped the surgeries as they await refund of the pending expenses done mainly on implants and equipment used during heart surgeries.

Sudhakar Shinde, CEO, MJPJAY, said that the pending amount was very small and would be released soon. Since the scheme is new, there are some initial difficulties. But there is no reason that the hospitals stop surgeries for want of procedural expenses of a few lakhs, he added. He further stated that he will ensure that the money reaches the hospitals soon. Rs 300 crore has already been reimbursed in 3 months in the state under the scheme, he added. (TNN)