Latest news with #NHA
Express Tribune
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Children among six killed in rains
Flash floods sweep through the Kaghan Valley in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after heavy rains. PHOTO: PPI Flash floods triggered by torrential rains in the upcountry areas continued to wreak havoc on Wednesday, as 10 people were swept away in a swollen stream in Hassan Abdal, while authorities braved heavy monsoon downpours in the Kaghan Valley to rescue 160 stranded passengers, officials said. The tragedy struck Jhary Kas, Hassan Abdal, when a vehicle carrying 10 people was swept away by a flash flood in a local stream. Officials said Rescue 1122 divers had recovered four bodies - all women from Wah Cantt - while the search continued for a missing child. The deceased included three sisters: Kinza, Nazia, and Sabira Bibi. The fourth victim was identified as Aiman Bibi. A four-year-old boy, Mustafa, remains missing. The search was temporarily suspended late at night but was expected to resume early in the morning, according to rescue authorities. Initial reports suggest the family was returning from a wedding ceremony when the incident occurred. Their vehicle was caught in a sudden, strong water current caused by recent heavy rainfall, which led to dangerously high-water levels in the stream. In another tragic incident amid the ongoing monsoon downpours, a mud house collapsed in Darveshabad, Balakot (Abbottabad district), killing two girls. Locals pulled the girls from the rubble, but they succumbed to their injuries. Further north, the Mansehra district administration, the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA), and the National Highway Authority (NHA) worked overnight to rescue over 160 travellers and restore traffic between the tourist spots of Jalkhad, Barwai and Besar. Officials stated that tourists and Gilgit-bound passengers were stranded after flash floods in local streams. "The KDA, NHA, and district administration staff worked amid heavy rains and cleared the highway after 12 hours," KDA official Moazzam Khan told The Express Tribune. Balakot Assistant Commissioner Nadir Khan added that Rescue 1122 personnel waded through the flooded stream near Besar to reach those trapped in their vehicles. "All people were safely evacuated at night and relocated to nearby hotels," Khan said. Rescue teams provided first aid to eight individuals suffering from minor injuries, physical exhaustion, hypoglycemia, and vomiting. Fortunately, no serious casualties were reported. The ongoing heavy monsoon rains have created hazardous conditions in various tourist destinations, increasing the risk of road blockades, landslides and flooding in low-lying and hilly areas. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) urged people to take precautionary measures. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Over 1.06 lakh claims settled under Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme, Rajya Sabha told
New Delhi: More than 1.06 lakh claims have been settled under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme since its launch in October last year, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The government on October 29 expanded Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana ( AB-PMJAY ) to provide free treatment benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh per year to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above through Ayushman Vay Vandana cards. Under portability feature of AB-PMJAY, eligible beneficiaries can access healthcare services across a network of 31,466 empanelled hospitals in the country irrespective of their place of residence, Jadhav said in a written reply. This portability feature is available to both AB-PMJAY and Vay Vandana scheme beneficiaries. The Vay Vandana scheme beneficiaries can also avail treatment at a network of 14,194 private healthcare providers, the minister said. The National Health Authority (NHA) has issued hospital empanelment and management guidelines for empanelment of hospitals under AB-PMJAY. In a separate reply, Jadhav said that settlement of claims is an ongoing process. Under AB-PMJAY, claims are settled by respective State Health Agencies (SHA). The NHA has laid down guidelines for payment of claim to hospitals within 15 days of claims submission for the intra-state hospitals and within 30 days in case of portability claims (hospitals located outside state). Claims are required to be settled within the timeline specified under the scheme, Jadhav said in the written reply. Notable improvements have been recorded in the overall average Turnaround Time (TAT) for claim settlements year on year. Regular review meetings are organized to take stock of the progress with regards to the claims, he said. Further, capacity building activities are organised for efficient claims settlement. As per the terms and conditions of empanelment, hospitals cannot deny treatment to eligible beneficiaries of the scheme. In instances other than treatment denial due to exclusion by the empanelled hospital, beneficiaries can lodge grievances, Jadhav said. Under AB-PMJAY, a three-tier grievance redressal system at district, state and national level has been created to resolve the issues faced by beneficiaries in utilizing healthcare services. At each level, there is a dedicated nodal officer and Grievance Redressal Committees to address the grievances. Beneficiaries can file their grievances using different mediums including web-based portal Centralized Grievance Redressal Management System (CGRMS), Central and state call centers (14555), email, letter to State Health Agencies, etc. Based on the nature of grievance, necessary action including providing of support to the beneficiaries in availing treatment under the scheme, is taken, the minister stated. Further, to improve hospital participation, health benefit packages used under AB-PMJAY have been revised and rationalized five times since the launch of the scheme, he said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Over 1.06 lakh claims settled under Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme, Rajya Sabha told
New Delhi: More than 1.06 lakh claims have been settled under the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme since its launch in October last year, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The government on October 29 expanded Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana ( AB-PMJAY ) to provide free treatment benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh per year to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above through Ayushman Vay Vandana cards. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Digital Marketing Product Management others Data Science Design Thinking healthcare Project Management Healthcare CXO Public Policy Operations Management Data Analytics MCA Degree PGDM Management Others Leadership MBA Cybersecurity Data Science Finance Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Under portability feature of AB-PMJAY, eligible beneficiaries can access healthcare services across a network of 31,466 empanelled hospitals in the country irrespective of their place of residence, Jadhav said in a written reply. This portability feature is available to both AB-PMJAY and Vay Vandana scheme beneficiaries. The Vay Vandana scheme beneficiaries can also avail treatment at a network of 14,194 private healthcare providers, the minister said. The National Health Authority (NHA) has issued hospital empanelment and management guidelines for empanelment of hospitals under AB-PMJAY. Live Events In a separate reply, Jadhav said that settlement of claims is an ongoing process. Under AB-PMJAY, claims are settled by respective State Health Agencies (SHA). The NHA has laid down guidelines for payment of claim to hospitals within 15 days of claims submission for the intra-state hospitals and within 30 days in case of portability claims (hospitals located outside state). Claims are required to be settled within the timeline specified under the scheme, Jadhav said in the written reply. Notable improvements have been recorded in the overall average Turnaround Time (TAT) for claim settlements year on year. Regular review meetings are organized to take stock of the progress with regards to the claims, he said. Further, capacity building activities are organised for efficient claims settlement. As per the terms and conditions of empanelment, hospitals cannot deny treatment to eligible beneficiaries of the scheme. In instances other than treatment denial due to exclusion by the empanelled hospital, beneficiaries can lodge grievances, Jadhav said. Under AB-PMJAY, a three-tier grievance redressal system at district, state and national level has been created to resolve the issues faced by beneficiaries in utilizing healthcare services. At each level, there is a dedicated nodal officer and Grievance Redressal Committees to address the grievances. Beneficiaries can file their grievances using different mediums including web-based portal Centralized Grievance Redressal Management System (CGRMS), Central and state call centers (14555), email, letter to State Health Agencies, etc. Based on the nature of grievance, necessary action including providing of support to the beneficiaries in availing treatment under the scheme, is taken, the minister stated. Further, to improve hospital participation, health benefit packages used under AB-PMJAY have been revised and rationalized five times since the launch of the scheme, he said.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
NHA informs Senate panel: Construction of all 5 M-6 sections to start at once
ISLAMABAD: Construction work on all five sections of Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M-6) will start simultaneously in this financial year. This was stated by National Highways Authority (NHA) Chairman Muhammad Shehryar Sultan in his presentation to the Senate Standing Committee on Communications. To a query that only Rs15 billion were allocated in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for M-6, he said this amount is for overall supervision of all five sections of this project. 'Our discussions with multilateral agencies and other investors are in final stages and hopefully by March or April next year, work on all the five sections will start simultaneously,' he remarked. He clarified that that the allocated Rs15 billion could not be spend on one section because the donor agencies do not finance ongoing projects. He said for this 306km long project, the revised Rs363.70 billion cost recommended by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), whereas, its construction period is 30months. He said sections 1 and 2 to be taken up under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Whereas, discussions held with International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), whereby, the IFC will provide transaction advisory and AIIB to provide the required Viability Gap Fund (VGF). He said fruitful discussions made under the auspices of Economic Affairs Division with OPEC Fund and SFD (Saudi Fund for Development) for taking up jointly Section 3. In parallel, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has indicated financing of $475 million for 4 and 5 sections. Shehryar Sultan pointed out that request for allowing advance procurement has been discussed with the IsDB and formal approval is being processed. The committee was apprised regarding the possibility of funds availability for the construction of the Sehwan Bypass under the CAREC Tranche-1 Project. The NHA chairman said the PC-1 of the CAREC Tranche-1 Project was approved by ECNEC on 26th July 2017 at a cost of Rs21 billion. Subsequently, the 1st Revised PC-I was approved by ECNEC on 30th December 2024, with an updated cost of Rs29.97billion. For the fiscal year 2025-26, an allocation of Rs1.32 billion. The project is financed by the ADB under loan amounting to $80 million, which is scheduled to close on 31st December 2025. Moreover, M/s DONGIL Engineering (Joint Venture), South Korea, has been engaged as the Design Review and Supervisory Consultant for the project. The committee was informed that Sehwan Bypass cannot be included in the ADB-funded CAREC Tranche-1 project, which is at the closing stage. The revised PC-I has been approved with a completion date of 31st December 2025, and no additional scope can be accommodated. It was noted that ADB approval and policy compliance would be required for any new works, while land acquisition funds are not available. With two sections completed and the third near completion, it was suggested that the Sehwan Bypass be taken up through a separate PC-I in the upcoming PSDP. The committee was briefed by the NHA regarding the flood-affected portion of the Indus Highway, damaged during the Manchar Lake Floods of 2022. It was informed that the segment has been restored as two-lane road. Committee members also referred to the recent Babusar Top incident, questioning why the NHA did not take preventive measures to stop tourists from entering the area despite being aware of the risks. Members pointed out that on the motorways, if a vehicle is found overspeeding, the driver is immediately detained, the family is left behind, and in some cases, rudebehaviour is reported from motorway officials. They questioned why similar strict actions could not be taken to stop tourists from heading towards hazardous areas such asBabusar Top. Furthermore, the committee directed that Motorway Police officials should be instructed to avoid misconduct with the public. In response, the chairman of the committee recommended summoning the IG Motorway Police for a detailed briefing on the matter. The committee sought a comprehensive list of 43 deputationists (BS-16 and above) serving in the National Institute of Health (NIH), including details such as names, designations, qualifications, parent departments, duration of deputation, and number of extensions granted. The NHA chairman informed that out of 20,900 employees, 43 were initially on deputation, now reduced to 39. A member termed the situation alarming, highlighting that as per court directives, deputation should not exceed three years, whereas, several officers at NHA have exceeded this limit. Concerns were raised about irrelevant postings, including MBBS/BDS doctors and officials from NDMA, whose qualifications do not align with NHA's mandate. It was questioned why such non-competitive appointments were made instead of hiring professionals through a merit-based process. Following this, the chairman committee recommended that the detailed discussion will be held in the next meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
NDTV
5 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Medical Body IMA Flags Over Rs 1.21 Lakh Crore Unpaid Bills Under Ayushman Bharat
Over 9.84 crore hospital admissions have been approved under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), with payments exceeding Rs 1.40 lakh crore, the government informed parliament on Friday. The scheme, focused on universal health coverage, offers up to Rs 5 lakh annually in cashless hospitalisation to nearly Rs 55 crore economically weaker individuals, covering the bottom 40% of India's population. More than 41 crore Ayushman Cards have been issued, with Uttar Pradesh leading at 5.33 crore, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha. Lakshadweep issued the fewest at 36,000. The scheme works through 31,466 hospitals, including over 14,000 private facilities, under Trust, Insurance, or Hybrid models, allowing state-specific flexibility. However, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has raised serious concerns in a white paper to the National Health Authority (NHA). They highlighted problems such as delayed payments, low reimbursement rates, and complicated claim processes that threaten hospital finances. In Gujarat, Rs 300 crore in claims from 2021 to 2023 remain unpaid. Only 5% of these claims have been settled within the required 15 days. In Kerala, there are Rs 400 crore in pending dues, and nationwide over Rs 1.21 lakh crore in claims (64 lakh cases) are still outstanding, according to an RTI. The IMA also pointed out that package rates are too low and do not cover treatment costs, especially for complex procedures in private tertiary hospitals. "IMA should be invited while deciding rates, packages and we should ensure timely payments, ease of claims and simplfied procedures," IMA national president Dr Dilip Bhanushali told NDTV. Uniform pricing discourages high-quality hospitals, resulting in only 67 of Delhi's 1,000+ private hospitals participating due to operational and financial challenges. Claim rejections caused by technical errors further increase revenue losses. IMA Recommendations: - Automate payments and create real-time tracking for transparency. - Revise reimbursement rates to reflect actual costs, updating them regularly. - Simplify claim documentation and provide 24/7 digital support (e.g., WhatsApp, SMS). - Set up grievance redressal at district, state, and national levels. - Incentivise accredited and rural hospitals with higher payments and faster approvals. - Move to direct benefit transfers using fintech, avoiding third-party intermediaries, to improve efficiency and sustainability. - Encourage competition and address market failures, reducing payor biases and oligopsony effects that threaten small and mid-size providers. Minister Prataprao Jadhav acknowledged implementation challenges in the Rajya Sabha, urging states to adjust models for better efficiency. The IMA's white paper, submitted to the Rajya Sabha Standing Committee on Health, is awaiting a response from the NHA. Doctors warn that without reforms, the scheme's aim of providing free, quality healthcare for India's poorest is at risk.
