Bhopal- Two years ago, in 2022, it was announced that Ayushman cards would be issued to victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, enabling them to receive free treatment up to five lakh rupees in private hospitals, in addition to government hospitals, for any medical issues. However, many victims have found this promise unfulfilled.

"We applied, but the card was never issued. Even when we approached officials from the gas relief department, they merely took our names and problems, promising to look into it, but no action was taken," lamented Alija Bi, a resident of JP Nagar, speaking to The Mooknayak. She suffers from eye problems and is currently receiving treatment only at government hospitals due to the lack of an Ayushman card.

Similarly, Asif Khan, a resident of Chhola Road, Bhopal, reported that his Ayushman card has not been issued. He applied last year and was assured the card would be ready in a few days, but it has yet to be provided.

"Both of my daughters are suffering from TB. Their treatment is a problem because, without an Ayushman card, we cannot access proper medical care. If we had the money, we would seek treatment in a private hospital," Asif stated.

Another gas victim from GP Nagar, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed frustration, "They took all our documents for the Ayushman Bharat scheme, but the card was never issued. A department was created in the name of providing relief to gas victims, with crores of funds allocated for our relief, but the officials embezzle that money," he accused.

In January 2022, Bhopal gas victims were included in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. However, two years on, less than 5% of the gas victims have received Ayushman cards. While cards are issued for BPL category gas victims, the scheme does not cover multiple diseases and supportive care.

Official data indicates that 5.74 lakh people were affected by the 1984 gas disaster.

The Gas Relief and Rehabilitation Department reports that approximately 13,000 Ayushman cards have been issued to the families of gas victims, despite the number of victims exceeding 500,000.

Sources reveal that thousands of applications from gas victim families have been rejected due to discrepancies between names on Aadhaar cards and compensation orders, such as the absence of "Khan" or the inclusion of "Bai" in names.

These minor discrepancies have led to application rejections. Families of gas victims allege that officials from the gas relief department, which was established to assist them and connect them with government schemes, are being negligent in their duties.

Rachna Dhingra, director of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, who is working on the problems of gas victims, told The Mooknayak, "Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, gas victims are still not eligible for cards. Even those who have received cards are not getting adequate treatment. Diseases requiring supportive care, such as CT scans, blood transfusions for blood cancer, side effects of chemotherapy, and stomach cancer, are not covered in the scheme. Officials from the gas relief department are not working seriously."

Ayushman Bharat Yojana

The Ayushman Bharat Yojana was launched in 2018 by the central government to provide free treatment to the needy. Under the scheme, poor families identified by the government receive free treatment up to five lakh rupees in contracted hospitals. Only those identified in the 2011 census are eligible for free treatment, and their names must be included in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana portal list.

Madhya Pradesh Ayushman Bharat Nodal Officer Dr. Santosh Sisodia stated that preparations are underway to launch Ayushman 2.2 in the state after the elections.

This upgradation will increase the range of health services available to patients.

The tragedy that claimed many lives

On the night of December 2, 1984, a catastrophic event in Bhopal left lasting scars that have yet to heal. The leakage of poisonous gas from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal caused thousands of sleeping residents to never wake up.

The ensuing chaos resulted in a death toll exceeding 16,000. Thousands of survivors of the poisonous gas exposure continue to suffer from its debilitating effects.

Approximately 500,000 survivors of that tragic night endure respiratory problems, eye irritation, blindness, and other ailments caused by the toxic exposure. The tragedy has also impacted subsequent generations. Many children born in Bhopal after the gas disaster were born with disabilities or other health issues. This horrific trend continues, with many children in the affected areas being born with abnormalities.