New Delhi, July 22 : For Ritesh Soni, a kidney patient from Manpur village in Umaria district, the Ayushman Bharat Yojana has become a lifeline.

After struggling for years to afford dialysis sessions, he is now receiving free treatment at Shahdol District Hospital, and is preparing to undergo a kidney transplant, all covered under the government scheme.

Speaking to IANS, Ritesh said, 'I have been suffering from a kidney ailment for almost four years, and I've been undergoing dialysis for the past two years. Earlier, I had to pay Rs 510 per session. Later, I came to know about the Ayushman Yojana through some fellow patients. I applied for it and got my card made. Now I am able to save money.'

Before enrolling under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, Ritesh had to travel over 60 kilometres to access private healthcare facilities, where dialysis sessions could cost up to Rs 25,000 per month. 'This burden was unsustainable,' he said. 'But thanks to Ayushman Bharat, I am now receiving regular dialysis completely free of cost.'

Doctors at Shahdol District Hospital have also recommended Ritesh for a kidney transplant. He shared that under the scheme, he would be eligible for up to Rs 5 lakh in assistance toward the procedure.

'This is a big relief for my family. I thank the government for running such a scheme and request that it be continued for the benefit of poor patients like me.'

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), also known in Madhya Pradesh as the Niramayam scheme, provides health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The scheme is proving to be a boon for kidney patients in Shahdol and neighbouring districts.

Several other patients undergoing dialysis at Shahdol District Hospital have also benefited from the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Many have expressed gratitude for the financial support and the accessibility it has brought to life-saving treatment.

The success story of Ritesh Soni highlights the real-world impact of government welfare schemes in rural India, offering not just financial relief but a renewed hope for a healthier future.

Ayushman Bharat, a flagship scheme of the Government of India, was launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This initiative has been designed to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its underlying commitment, which is to "leave no one behind".

/IANS