Ayushman Bharat: FIR against owners of 89 websites spreading false information

The agency had reported the matter to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, requesting them to shut these websites down.

Ayushman Mitras are deployed at every empanelled hospital to provide assistance about the scheme.

The National Health Agency (NHA), the apex body implementing the Ayushman Bharat Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPM) has identified 89 fake websites and mobile applications providing false information about the scheme and lodged an FIR against owners/developers of these websites and applications.

According to officials, these websites and applications have been circulating false information about the scheme like hiring of Ayushman Mitras, wrongly enrolling patients for other schemes and providing a list of beneficiaries. Ayushman Mitras are deployed at every empanelled hospital to provide assistance about the scheme.

“There is no hiring agency for Ayushman Mitras. We have made the arrangements from our existing staff,” Dr V K Tiwari, medical superintendent, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital.

“These websites have been giving false information to the patients about the health scheme. Many of them claimed to get a beneficiary card for the patients through which one can avail the treatment under the scheme. There are no charges for registering under the scheme. Our team has been constantly monitoring these websites and an FIR has been registered against owners/developers of these websites and applications to block these websites,” said Indu Bhushan, CEO, NHA.

The agency had reported the matter to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, requesting them to shut these websites down. The website for the scheme is https://www.abnhpm.gov.in/ and people can call official helpline number 1455 for other information