Mangaluru: Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader has said the government would develop a mechanism to make healthcare more affordable for both above poverty line (APL) and below poverty line (BPL) families, with the aim of reducing patients’ out-of-pocket expenses.

Speaking at a review meeting on Monday, Khader also warned of strict action against Arogya Mitras who fail to ensure eligible patients receive cashless treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) scheme. He said Arogya Mitras must intervene whenever private hospitals empanelled under the scheme attempt to collect additional charges from patients belonging to the BPL category.

During the meeting, doctors raised concerns over delays in the release of medicines, particularly IV fluids. They said the quarantine period for certain drugs had increased following the maternal deaths reported at a hospital in Ballari.

Responding to the concerns, an official from the logistics department explained that medicines undergo quality testing after reaching government warehouses. The process, he said, takes 30 to 45 days before the medicines are cleared for distribution.