On a chilly November morning, 54-year-old Arsheeda Akhtar lay under a thick blanket at Srinagar’s Khyber Hospital, waiting patiently for he...
On a chilly November morning, 54-year-old Arsheeda Akhtar lay under a thick blanket at Srinagar’s Khyber Hospital, waiting patiently for her dialysis session to end. She has been under dialysis for the last five years. Her family, most of whom are labourers, have already spent a lot of money on the treatment.
Under the Ayushman Bharat programme, a government health assurance scheme for low income groups, Akhtar was entitled to free dialysis at the hospital. But since March 2020, her Ayushman Bharat golden card stands cancelled due to “fraud”. The family is now struggling to find the money.
“Each session of dialysis costs Rs 3,500, we are spending about Rs 30-32,000 on her treatment every month,” said Akhtar’s son, Suhail, who had accompanied her from their home in Pulwama district. The family of nine sold land to raise funds. “Recently, we again borrowed Rs. 90,000 from a money lender,” said Suhail.
Fifty-three-year old Abdul Ghani, also at the Khyber Hospital for dialysis, had a similar story. He had got an Ayushman Bharat card in 2019, which helped him get dialysis. In March, his card was cancelled.
“My father worked as a driver but cannot work now because of his health issues,” said his daughter, Waqas Ghani....
