Mizoram is set to introduce a new healthcare initiative, the ‘Universal Health Care System,’ aimed at providing comprehensive coverage to the state’s population, including government employees and pensioners. The scheme, announced by Health Minister Lalrinpuii on Wednesday, is scheduled to be launched in September 2024.
The rollout follows the signing of a Rs. 1,000 crore loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fund the ambitious project. Once implemented, the new healthcare system will replace the existing Mizoram State Health Care Scheme, which was introduced by the Mizo National Front (MNF) government in 2019.
The existing scheme has faced significant criticism due to its failure to settle pending medical bills, despite Rs. 150 crores being allocated under the MNF’s flagship Socio-Economic Development Policy (SEDP). According to the Health Minister, over Rs. 9.8 crore in medical bills for 2,921 beneficiaries remain unpaid under the current Mizoram Health Insurance Scheme.
