Bhubaneswar: The much-awaited Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana will be implemented in Odisha by end of this fiscal 2024, informed Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling. 

"An MoU will be signed for implementation of Ayushman Bharat Yojana alongside Odisha's own health scheme Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) to provide free healthcare services to economically vulnerable families," he said. 

Approximately 3.50 Crore beneficiaries will be provided a special card to avail this free medical treatment under the public healthcare insurance scheme from at 27,000 empanelled hospitals nationwide, he said. 

While the beneficiaries covered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana can get healthcare services at hospitals upto Rs 5 lakh, the state government under Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY), which has replaced previous BJD government's flagship Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), will provide healthcare services upto Rs 5 lakh to beneficiaries in rural areas and upto Rs 6 lakh in urban areas. 

This apart, the State Health & Family Welfare Department is all set to take initiative to create awareness among people about cervical cancer in upcoming days. 

Under the initiative, arrangements will be made at schools and colleges to set up camps for vaccination against cervical cancer. 

A vccination drive will be launched to prevent cervical cancer in adolescent girls. In addition, camps and free vaccination will carried out in schools and colleges," Dr. Mahaling said.