The Karnataka branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed reservations with the state government’s Arogya Karnataka health scheme.
In a representation given to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, the IMA said government hospitals in the state already have 60% shortage of specialists.
The association has suggested that the Yeshashwini health scheme, which was being implemented efficiently, must be continued. There must be a clear-cut list of beneficiaries for the scheme and the list should not clash with the central government’s Ayushman Bharat health scheme.
Akhila Vasan, co-convenor of NGO Karnataka Janaarogya Chaluvali, said, “Most of the government health insurance schemes are nothing but a big racket, which help some super-speciality corporate hospitals in the city. People are confused due to the many health insurance schemes that run simultaneously”.
Health and Family Welfare Services Minister Shivananda S Patil agreed that there were confusions in the implementation of Arogya Karnataka scheme. The minister said good practices of Yeshaswini scheme would be incorporated in the Arogya Karnataka scheme.