Ahmedabad: Around 150 cardiologists across 15 districts in Gujarat have stopped admitting patients under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) due to rising operational costs and inadequate remuneration. The Gujarat Interventional Cardiologists Forum (GICF) has submitted memorandums to chief district health officers (CDHOs) and collectors, urging a revision of the scheme’s cardiology packages.

On Wednesday, GICF members met senior officials of the Gujarat State Branch of the Indian Medical Association (GSB-IMA) to discuss further action. The IMA has advised GICF to revise its proposal by refining certain demands before presenting it to state health officials. Reports indicate that the protesting cardiologists are from cities including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Kutch.

As per a report, in the letter, GICF highlighted that inflation and rising costs have made the scheme financially unsustainable. The letter also pointed out that it took a decade to increase the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) package, excluding stents, from ₹45,000 to ₹50,800, despite an annual inflation rate of 6.5%. Meanwhile, coronary angiogram rates have remained unchanged since 2015. Other key demands include compensation for high-risk PCI procedures, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) coverage, and addressing disparities between different cardiac surgeries.

However, state and city hospital associations have distanced themselves from these demands, stating that they will continue offering treatments as per existing guidelines.  DeshGujarat