Thousands of dialysis and cancer patients in Jammu and Kashmir are living in fear. Their lifeline is under threat. The possible withdrawal of private hospitals from the Ayushman Bharat-SEHAT Scheme from July 1 has left them anxious, uncertain, and desperate. For years, this scheme has enabled them to access life-saving treatment without financial ruin. Now, a dispute over pending dues is putting their lives at risk. Dialysis patients require treatment multiple times a week. Cancer patients follow strict chemotherapy schedules. Any disruption in these cycles is not just an inconvenience; it can be fatal. The government must understand that patients cannot wait for bureaucratic disputes to be resolved. Their health cannot be held hostage to payment delays. The concerns of private hospitals are not entirely unreasonable. Prolonged non-payment of dues by the State Health Agency is a genuine issue. But the response cannot be to withdraw services abruptly. The government must intervene immediately. Pending payments must be cleared without further delay. At the same time, a mechanism must be put in place to ensure that such situations do not recur. Government hospitals are already overburdened. They do not have the capacity to absorb thousands of additional patients. If private hospitals withdraw, the public health system will collapse under the weight. The patients who will suffer the most are the poor, who have no alternative. They cannot afford private treatment without insurance. They cannot travel to other states. They have nowhere to go. The government must treat this as an emergency. Patient welfare must be the top priority. The State Health Agency must clear dues immediately. Private hospitals must be assured of timely payments in the future. And if a transition is required, it must be patient-centric, not provider-centric. No patient should be left without care midway through their treatment. Ayushman Bharat was designed to be a lifeline. It must not become a source of anxiety. The government must act now. The patients are watching. And they have waited long enough.
