New Delhi, Jan 9 (NationPress) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken immediate notice of a case from Karnataka, where a 72-year-old man tragically committed suicide on December 25 after a public hospital in Bengaluru refused to grant him treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
According to a media report, the state-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology denied him the Rs 5 lakh coverage available to senior citizens under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) for which he had registered, citing that the state government's directives on this matter had not yet been issued.
The Commission noted that if the information from the media report is accurate, it raises a significant concern regarding the violation of human rights. Furthermore, the report mentioned several other instances where beneficiaries of the AB PM-JAY scheme for senior citizens are facing difficulties.
In response to this situation, the NHRC has issued notices to the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Chief Secretary of Karnataka, requesting a comprehensive report on the matter within four weeks.
The NHRC expects these reports to detail the current status of the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) senior citizen scheme in Karnataka, as well as in other states and Union Territories.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) senior citizen scheme was designed to provide quality medical care for elderly individuals, particularly those unable to cover hospital expenses and the costs of specialized treatments and medications.
The NHRC stated, "If senior citizens are unable to receive the benefits of the scheme established for their welfare, it may constitute a violation of their right to health, an essential component of a dignified life."
