Jammu and Kashmir Healthcare Crisis: Private Hospitals Suspend Services Under Ayushman Bharat, Thousands of Youth Face Unemployment.
||Black & White Digital News||
||Tejveer Singh March 16, 2025||
JAMMU/KASHMIR: In a move that has sent shockwaves across Jammu and Kashmir’s healthcare sector, the Government has barred private hospitals from offering key surgical procedures under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The decision, which comes following the 8th and 9th Governing Council meeting of the State Health Agency, has led to massive unrest among private hospital associations and triggered fears of mass unemployment among healthcare workers.
As per the official order issued by the State Health Agency, four crucial surgical procedures — Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), Hemorrhoidectomy (piles surgery), Sphincterotomy (fissure surgery), and Appendectomy (appendix removal) — have been reserved exclusively for government-run hospitals, stripping private hospitals of their right to perform these surgeries under the Ayushman Bharat/SEHAT scheme.
Government’s Justification: Standardization of Rates:
The official order states, “The 10% additional package price that was previously applied to private hospitals under HBP 2.2 shall no longer be applicable. All packages for private hospitals will be standardized as per the base rates under HBP 2.2.”
The new policy also introduces a differential pricing structure, wherein:
Sub-District Hospitals (SDH) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) will receive 65% of the HBP 2.2 rates.
District Hospitals, Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), and Private Hospitals will be paid 100% of the HBP 2.2 rates.
However, the removal of the four major surgeries has struck a severe blow to private healthcare facilities, as these procedures account for nearly 70% of indoor patient admissions.
Private Hospitals in Crisis: Suspend All Free Services Under Ayushman Scheme:
In a strong and united response, the Private Hospitals Association of Jammu and Kashmir has announced the suspension of all services under Ayushman Bharat from March 15, 2025.
In a statement, the association’s spokesperson expressed deep resentment over the government’s decision, stating,
“This move not only cripples private healthcare institutions but also defeats the purpose of universal health coverage. We are left with no choice but to stop providing services under Ayushman Bharat and terminate 50% of our workforce.”
The spokesperson further highlighted the dire consequences for the region’s economy, as over 11,000 healthcare professionals and support staff employed in private hospitals and dialysis centers now face mass termination.
Employees Receive Termination Messages, Mass Exit Begins:
As the crisis unfolds, private hospitals and dialysis centers have started issuing termination messages to their employees, citing the inability to sustain operations without the four key procedures and delayed payments from the government.
One such message sent to over 11,230 employees reads: “With a heavy heart, we inform you that due to the government’s decision to reserve four critical procedures for public hospitals, it is impossible for us to continue operations. Payments have not been released, and we are unable to pay salaries. We are forced to initiate a mass exit for 50% of our workforce.”
The message further adds: We understand the devastating impact this decision will have on your families. We stand with you in these tough times and assure you of providing necessary documentation and references for future employment.
Impact on Unemployment and Healthcare Access:
With 10,000+ youth directly employed in private healthcare facilities and thousands of dependent families, this move is being seen as a major economic setback for the already struggling region of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Private Hospitals Association has warned of complete collapse of the private healthcare sector, leading to overburdening of government hospitals, which are already facing a shortage of doctors, infrastructure, and diagnostic facilities.
Government’s Hollow Claim of Public Hospital Readiness:
While the government claims that adequate arrangements have been made in public hospitals for handling these procedures, insiders from the healthcare sector reveal a grim reality.
A senior private hospital owner, who wished to remain anonymous, stated:The public healthcare system in Jammu and Kashmir is already crumbling. Long queues, lack of specialists, and poor infrastructure plague government hospitals. Where will the poor patients go now?
Political Angle: Private Sector Alleges Discrimination:
The private healthcare sector has accused the government of “deliberate targeting and weakening of private hospitals.”
“This is a politically motivated decision to push private hospitals out of the healthcare system in J&K. We provide employment to thousands of youth, and this move will only add to the growing unemployment crisis in the region,” the spokesperson added.
Patients in Distress: The Poor Left to Suffer:
With private hospitals suspending services under Ayushman Bharat and dialysis centers shutting down, thousands of poor patients who relied on free treatments under the scheme are now left in misery.
A dialysis patient from Baramulla broke down while speaking to the media:Where will we go now? We can’t afford private treatment, and the government hospitals don’t even have proper facilities for dialysis.
Mass Protests on the Horizon:
In response to the government’s decision, private hospitals, healthcare workers, and affected patients have announced a massive protest across Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days, demanding the immediate reversal of the decision.
A Healthcare Disaster in the Making:
The government’s decision to bar private hospitals from performing key surgeries and cut down package rates under the Ayushman Bharat scheme has triggered an unprecedented healthcare crisis in Jammu and Kashmir.
With private hospitals suspending services, mass terminations of healthcare workers, and thousands of poor patients left without access to critical surgeries, this move is being viewed as one of the darkest chapters in J&K’s healthcare history.
The ball is now in the government’s court, but the damage to the healthcare sector and the livelihoods of thousands of youth seems irreversible unless immediate corrective measures are taken.
Omar Abdullah
Office of LG, J&K
Deputy CM Surinder choudhary
Satish Sharma
Ankur Sharma
Sat Sharma CA
Sunil Sharma
Tarun Chugh
Kavinder Gupta
Surjit Singh Slathia
Dr Narinder Singh
Chander Parkash Ganga
Ravinder Raina
Ashok Koul
Jammu and Kashmir
Sham Lal Sharma
#chiefsecretaryjammuandkashmir
