'11.5L people from across Bengal have benefitted from Swasthya Sathi scheme'

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dr Santanu Sen on Friday said around 11.5 lakh people from across Bengal have benefitted from the Swasthya Sathi scheme, a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Taking to Twitter, Dr Sen wrote: "After commencement on 1st Jan2017, till date nearly 11.5 lacs people of #Bengal got benefitted by @MamataOfficial ji's #SwasthyaSathi scheme which also covers handicapd brother & sister in case of husband & parents in case of wife.Even covers treatment outside, eg AAIMS& Vellore."

What is more striking is that those who have enrolled themselves with the Swasthya Sathi (SS), a comprehensive health protection scheme introduced by the state government, are now able to avail free treatment at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMs) and Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore.

The facility has been extended by the state government as many people from the state go to CMC Vellore and also to AIIMS in Delhi to get specialised treatment and have to bear the cost of availing the same. Those belonging to economically weaker sections face difficulties to get their near and dear ones treated in Vellore.

A family can get secondary and tertiary health care up to Rs 5 lakh per annum. The beneficiaries are mainly poor people belonging to the BPL category and those belonging to various unorganised sectors. The Chief Minister announced the health scheme in 2016 to provide free-of-cost health services to even those who are suffering from various critical ailments like cancer, neurosurgery, cardiology-related issues, cardiothoracic vascular surgery etc.