Kalyani, Feb. 16, 2024: All India Institute of Medical Science-Kalyani authorities have written the Bengal government to include it as a service provider under its flagship health insurance scheme Swasthya Sathi.
Since the facilities under the centre-sponsored health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat would remain unavailable to the people in the state of the Bengal government’s decision not to join the scheme, the AIIMS Kalyani authorities have appealed the Bengal government to include under the scheme as it apprehends an influx in footfall after the facility becomes fully operational from February 25.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the central health care facilities in Kalyani virtually from Rajkot along with four other AIIMS located in Jammu, Bathinda, Mangalgiri, and Rae Bareli.
A team of union health ministry led by Vippul Aggarwal visited AIIMS-Kalyani infrastructure on Friday and gave the green signal for the inauguration, sources said. Aggarwal visited the facilities in detail and expressed satisfaction.
AIIMS Kalyani executive director Ramji Singh said, “We have written to the Bengal government and they in turn made some queries. The matter is under process and I am hopeful that people with state government’s health insurance scheme will be able to avail the benefits”.
An officer in the state health department said that the matter is being examined and finalized soon.
AIIMS Kalyani’s outpatient department was started in 2020 with limited facilities.
From February 25 the AIIMS Kalyani will become operational and render its service to people with 43 departments that include 17 super specialty wings, said its executive director Ramji Singh. “It is big news for the people of West Bengal. I am hopeful we will be able to provide the best service to them coming up to their expectations”, Singh told The NfN.
Located on 179 acres of land in Basantapur, on the outskirts of Kalyani town that was arranged by the state government now accommodates 360 indoor patients.
“We have an extension plant to accommodate 960 indoor patients in the coming days”, Singh said adding that the infrastructure has also 18 ICU beds and 23 modular operation theatres. Bed charges for patients will be Rupees 35 only which includes food also, Singh said.
However, insufficient numbers of doctors still come up as a big impediment to cater to more patients. “We have at present 146 faculties and other doctors. We are hopeful more doctors to join soon and provide the best service”, the Director said.
AIIMS Kalyani was approved under the center’s Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana on October 7, 2015, and began academic activities in 2016 by admitting 50 students for its MBBS courses.