Dhubri Medical College staffer arrested for Ayushman Bharat scheme fraud

Dhubri, Sept 18: An employee of Dhubri Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) was arrested on suspicions of orchestrating a scam involving the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Habibul Hasan Alom, a 4th-grade employee at DMCH, is accused of misappropriating funds intended for the scheme that provides healthcare benefits to economically weaker sections of society.

According to police sources, Alom, a resident of Jhagrarpar in Dhubri, allegedly exploited the system by collecting payments from patients who were not enrolled in the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

He is accused of falsifying patient records with someone else's Ayushman Bharat card number and pocketing the money from non-beneficiaries, as cardholders are not charged any fees under the scheme.

It is estimated that Alom collected approximately Rs. 70,000 last month through these deceptive methods.

The scam came to light after the DMCH administration filed a formal complaint, prompting an investigation by local authorities.

This incident has raised serious concerns about corruption within the healthcare system, particularly regarding the management of the Ayushman Bharat card scheme.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme, a national health protection initiative, aims to cover poor and vulnerable families with up to Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the full extent of the fraud and to uncover any additional individuals who may have been involved.