Odisha signs MoU with Centre to launch Ayushman Bharat

Bhubaneswar, Jan 13: In a significant development, the Odisha government has formalized a partnership with the Centre by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This initiative will integrate the AB-PMJAY with the state's Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, aiming to extend comprehensive healthcare coverage to economically disadvantaged families throughout Odisha.

The MoU was signed by Aswathy S, the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare for Odisha, and L S Changsan, CEO of the National Health Authority (NHA), with key figures such as Union Health Minister J P Nadda, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, and Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling present at the event. Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Jual Oram also participated.

With this agreement, Odisha becomes the 34th state or Union Territory to adopt the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The initiative will provide a single bilingual health card to eligible families, ensuring cashless healthcare coverage of ₹5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, with an additional ₹5 lakh specifically for women.

As stated by Changsan, the scheme will cover approximately 1.03 crore families in Odisha, with 67.8 lakh families receiving assistance from the central government. The Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a social security initiative, will also be integrated into this program, allowing beneficiaries to access cashless treatment at over 30,000 empanelled hospitals across the country.

Officials noted that this development will enhance Odisha's healthcare infrastructure, improve patient care, and significantly lower out-of-pocket expenses for families. Health cards for beneficiaries will be printed and distributed shortly.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda praised this integration as a vital step towards achieving universal healthcare in India, suggesting that the successful implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha could serve as a model for other states to emulate.