Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is gearing up to roll out the Ayushman Bharat Yojana across the state by the end of the current financial year. Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling announced that preparations are underway to implement both parts of the scheme, with discussions already held with the Chief Minister and ongoing coordination with the Central Government.
The scheme will provide a unified health card combining benefits from the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and the state-run Gopabandhu Arogya Yojana, benefiting approximately 3.5 crore people. Once launched, the new health card will enable beneficiaries to access medical services in over 27,000 hospitals nationwide, a significant expansion from the 950 hospitals available under the earlier scheme.
Additionally, the state government plans to appoint 250 radiographers in various government hospitals to enhance diagnostic services.
In a separate initiative, a robust awareness campaign will be launched to combat cervical cancer. Health camps in schools and colleges will facilitate vaccination drives, providing free cervical cancer vaccines to teenage girls, who are at a higher risk of the disease. Discussions are also ongoing at the central level to strengthen awareness and prevention measures with the aim of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health concern.
