Rajasthan healthcare model should be implemented across country: Congress

The Congress on Friday claimed the healthcare model of Rajasthan is being studied the world over and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to emulate the state's Chiranjeevi scheme and Right to Health initiative across the country.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera and Rajasthan Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena said at a press conference at the party headquarters here that the Chiranjeevi scheme helped a large number of people during the COVID-19 period as they did not have to spend even a single penny on their treatment in hospitals.

Khera said there is an atmosphere of celebrations in the state as this scheme has touched so many lives and the "Rajasthan model" is being talked about all over the world and has become a subject of research abroad.

He claimed that today the situation is such that the people of Gujarat are getting their treatment done in Rajasthan.

Rajasthan Health Minister Meena said today people are getting free treatment up to Rs 25 lakh in Rajasthan. He said this has gone up from Rs 10 lakh earlier.

"The way the right to health is being given to people in Rajasthan, it should be given across the whole country. The prime minister should implement it in all states," he said.

He said that the issues raised by the doctors protesting against the Right to Health Bill have been resolved.

Rules under the Right to Health Act will be framed in such a way that they will be in the interests of doctors as well as the general public, he said.

On World Health Day on Friday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We are extremely proud that Congress governed Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to guarantee right to health."

"Key schemes like Chiranjeevi Yojana in Rajasthan and Mukhyamantri Haat-Bazaar Clinic Yojana in Chhattisgarh have immensely benefitted people," he said on Twitter.

He said that on this day it is imperative to express gratitude to the countless healthcare warriors - ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, auxiliary nurses and midwives (ANMs), doctors, nurses, medical staff and everyone involved in saving lives.

On the occasion, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said it is a matter of great pleasure to inform that the Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have given first priority to the health of citizens.

"Rajasthan's right to health law will give more than 8 crore citizens the right to free treatment. The Chiranjeevi Health Scheme, which provided free treatment facilities to lakhs of people of the state, became the basis of this achievement," she said in a tweet in Hindi, adding that the Chhattisgarh government is providing affordable health facilities to every citizen sitting at home through various schemes.

She also expressed gratitude to all healthcare professionals.

Under the Chiranjeevi scheme, free treatment is provided in empanelled hospitals.

The Rajasthan Right to Health Bill stipulates that every resident of the state will have the right to emergency treatment and care "without prepayment" at any public health institution, health care establishment and designated health care centres.