Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File image)
Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File image)

Assam government has decided to expand scope of Atal Amrit Abhiyan to six more diseases including Japanese Encephalitis.

Atal Amrit Abhiyan is a health insurance scheme launched by Assam government in 2016.

Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the state cabinet in a meeting decided to expand scope of the scheme.

The scheme will be expanded to include treatment in ICU, trauma, paediatrics and paediatric surgery and bone marrow transplants, said the health minister.

Minister Sarma said a total of 1.5 crore people have been covered under the scheme and 4,500 patients have availed its benefit since it was launched in 2016.

“The total expenditure on Atal Amrit Abhiyan so far is Rs. 140 crore,” he said.

Sarma said the treatment for Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome will become almost free as the cost of treatment rarely crosses Rs. 2 lakh.

People with annual income up to Rs 5 lakh are eligible for availing the benefit of the scheme.