'Arogya Karnataka cards not mandatory'

Allaying fears that only those who have an Arogya Karnataka card can avail the services under Arogya Karnataka Scheme, DHO Dr Ramakrishna Rao and district surgeon Dr Rajeshwari Devi said that people can avail the services under the scheme using Aadhaar and BPL/APL cards.

Speaking to reporters, Dr Ramakrishna Rao said, “Arogya Karnataka card is not mandatory. As many as 40 hospitals including 32 private hospitals in Dakshina Kannada district have been empanelled for the state government’s scheme. Referral from government hospitals is not mandatory for emergency cases to get treated in empanelled private hospitals. The treatment is free for BPL card holders while 30% of the cost will be borne by the government for the APL card holders. The scheme covers 1523 procedures.”

As many as 30,000 people have registered under the scheme at District Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru.