Like a thunderbolt from the blue, tragedy struck Mallik family a few months ago. On a fateful night of mid-April 2020, Manik Mallik, the sole breadwinner of the family went to bed like other days having dinner with his wife and only son. Soon the night turned into a nightmare.
Recalling that ‘night’, Jayanti, wife of Manik said, “We could not imagine that this would be such a horrible night. My husband was a healthy person. However, he suddenly felt severe bouts of breathlessness. He was squirming and screaming. We tried in vain to give him comfort. As the situation worsened, we took him to hospital and doctors told us that Manik had suffered a brain stroke and needed a costly Neurosurgery”. “And” , she added, the doctors estimated that surgery would cost around Rs 57,000.
Manik Mallik and his family stay at a humble house in Chandina Mura near Agartala. The 45-year old Manik is a video photographer by profession and his monthly income is around Rs 5,000-6000 only.
“With his paltry income, it was hard to think about such a costly surgery. For us, Rs 57,000 was beyond our reach. However, my 17-year old son, Anik knew about Ayushman Bharat PMJAY Scheme and he found that we were eligible for the scheme. ”, Jayanti said.
Manik’s son Anik said, “Baba was admitted at ILS Hospital on April 17 last and successfully operated upon on April 19. For his surgery Rs 56, 250 were spent and the entire amount was paid under Ayushman Bharat. We need not to spend any amount – it was cashless treatment for us”.
Flanked by his wife and son, Manik is a happy person now – and telling his neighbours about Ayushman Bharat after narrating its benefits.
He also said, “I am recovering well. I am grateful to the Prime Minister for Ayushman Bharat PMJAY Scheme. I am alive today because of Ayushman which is the truest sense, ‘Ayushman – for the poor’.
Manik Mallik is just one of 70,000 persons – 70, 646 to be precise till August 2020 – of the State who availed cashless treatment under the scheme.
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) has completed two years of its launch on September 23 last. With Ayushman Bharat – PMJAY, the government is taking healthcare protection to a new aspirational level. The Yojana provides coverage up to Rs. 5,00,000 per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization through a network of Empanelled Health Care Providers (EHCP).
Beneficiaries need to establish their identity to avail benefits under the scheme which can also be done through election ID card, ration card, Aadhar Card and PM’s Letter.
There are 90 empanelled hospitals in Tripura under AB-PMJAY. There are Arogya Mitras in all empanelled hospitals who looks after the technical aspects like registration of patients for availing benefits, e-card generation etc for smooth implementation of AB-PMJAY in each EHCP (Empanelled Health Care Providers). (Courtesy: Tripura Times).
