AIIMS flags large rejections of files of Ayushman beneficiaries by Punjab authorities

The management of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, on Tuesday flagged rejection of large-scale applications of beneficiaries under the Ayushman scheme by the Punjab state health agency (SHA).

AIIMS executive director Dr DK Singh said he has raised the issue with the top authorities of the national health agency as the rejection by SHA leads to patient load as treatment gets delayed.

Medical superintendent Dr Rajiv Kumar said an average of 4-6 applications for surgeries, hospital treatment and medicine purchases are rejected arbitrarily every day, and the trend has been going on for the last over a month.

“No reason is given behind the rejection of the treatment files of the registered beneficiaries. We have recent examples where the treatment of a child battling blood cancer was rejected after approval. Also, a heart patient needed the placing of a stent, but the intervention was delayed after SHA’s portal was rejected after approval,” said Kumar.

Chief executive officer of SHA Babita Kaler admitted the problem of rejection of large applications but attributed it to a technical glitch in the new system adopted by the NHA.

She refuted AIIMS’s charge that applications were rejected arbitrarily.

“The NHA has been facing the problem for the last few days across the country. I have personally apprised the AIIMS authorities of the issue and assured them of clearing emergency cases in offline mode so that needy patients do not suffer. Feedback from NHA indicates that the glitch is likely to be addressed in a couple of days,” she added.