The Jammu & Kashmir Private Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association (JKPHDA) on Monday deferred its proposed strike for two weeks after receiving assurances from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY)/SEHAT Scheme that pending payments to empanelled hospitals would begin to be released from Tuesday.
The decision came after a meeting convened by the CEO at his office chambers, attended by the Chief Accounts Officer and a delegation of the Association led by its General Secretary, Dr Masood-ul-Hassan. The delegation, acting on the directions of Faizan Mir, President (Kashmir region), and Sandeep Mengi, President (Jammu region), included executive members Dr. Ibrahim Guru, Sajad Lone, Dr. Mushtaq Purzgar, Dr Nazira and Dr Bilal.
During the meeting, the Association highlighted the financial difficulties faced by private hospitals due to nearly six months of pending reimbursements under the ABPMJAY/SEHAT Scheme. It also stressed the need to ensure uninterrupted dialysis, chemotherapy, emergency surgeries and intensive care services for beneficiaries of the scheme.
According to the Association, the CEO assured the delegation that all genuine demands would be examined at the highest level and addressed in a time-bound manner. As an immediate confidence-building measure, he confirmed that pending payments to empanelled hospitals would start being disbursed from Tuesday.
Announcing the decision to defer the strike, Dr. Masood-ul-Hassan said the Association had chosen to prioritise patient welfare.
“We are not here to fight. We are here to treat. We thank the CEO for his patient hearing and swift assurance. Our hospitals were on the verge of collapse due to six months of unpaid dues. The CEO’s commitment to release funds gives us hope. In the interest of poor patients of J&K, we are deferring our strike by two weeks,” he said.
He, however, cautioned that the Association would closely monitor the implementation of the assurances.
“We will closely watch the disbursement over the next 14 days. Our dialysis and cancer patients cannot wait. If the assurances translate into action on the ground, we will continue services without disruption. If not, we will be forced to review our decision,” Dr. Hassan added.
The Association appealed to patients not to panic, stating that dialysis, chemotherapy, surgeries and all other services under the Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT Scheme would continue uninterrupted in private hospitals across Jammu and Kashmir during the two-week period.
JKPHDA also thanked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Health Minister Sakina Itoo, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Secretary, Health and Medical Education, for facilitating the meeting. The Association further acknowledged the role of the media and civil society in highlighting the concerns of patients and private healthcare institutions.
