‘Partial dues released, but liabilities mounting’
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 14: Private hospitals in J&K today postponed their proposed strike under the Ayushman Bharat-Sehat Scheme following assurances from the National Health Authority (NHA), but warned that services may become unsustainable if pending dues, running into hundreds of crores are not cleared soon.
In a statement issued here, the J&K Private Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association said the decision was taken to prioritise patient care, particularly after appeals from patients undergoing life-saving treatments such as dialysis and other critical procedures.
“We understand the fear and anxiety, our earlier announcement may have caused to patients and their families. Their health and well-being remain our first priority,” said Sandeep Mengi, president of the Association’s Jammu region.
He said a portion of the pending payments has started arriving in recent days, and the Association acknowledged the move.
However, he expressed concern that only a fraction of the total outstanding dues-pending since 2021-may be released, leaving hundreds of crores unpaid.
“This partial relief is not sufficient to clear mounting liabilities toward suppliers, staff salaries and essential medical consumables,” Mengi said, urging authorities to release the full outstanding amount in a time-bound manner to prevent further uncertainty.
The Association said it will continue to provide treatment under the Golden Card scheme for now, relying on the goodwill of staff and suppliers.
“Our only aim is to serve the people of J&K with dignity and without interruption. We hope the Government treats this as a humanitarian priority and ensures the sustainability of the Ayushman Bharat-Sehat Scheme in the Union Territory,” said Dr Masood-ul-Hassan, General Secretary of the association.
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