Ayushman Bharat office lacks basic facilities in Katihar

KATIHAR: The two-room office space provided by the district health department for running the Centre’s ambitious project – Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) – appears like a store room where unpacked goods containing office furniture, almirahs and others have been dumped, leaving virtually no space for staffers to move around and work.
Amid unpacked goods and cramped space, Raju Kumar Lal, district programme coordinator (DPC), was found working in his office. “Office furniture and steel almirahs were sent by the Bihar Swasthya Suraksha Samiti (Patna) for this office several months ago. But, we don’t have space to unpack and use them. We are also unable to utilise the space of the adjacent room because the sadar hospital authorities have dumped their goods,” Lal said.
“Apart from lack of basic amenities, the lone Ayushman Mitra of this office was deputed on Covid duty and he joined the department just five days back,” Lal said, adding, “Since there is no computer operator, I double up as data entry operator.”
Asked about the status of the project in the district, Lal said, “Despite lack of proper office space and basic facilities, 1.51 lakh golden cards were prepared for distribution. Recently, six private hospitals came forward for the empanelment under the Ayushman Bharat project.”