Thiruvananthapuram: Health Minister Veena George on Thursday stated that the Kerala government provided free healthcare to 6.5 lakh individuals in 2024.

Speaking at the Anubhav Sabha 2.0 workshop, held online, the Minister noted that while 2.5 lakh individuals received free treatment annually at the start of this government’s tenure, the number has increased to 6.5 lakh in 2024.

“For three consecutive years, Kerala has been the state providing the highest number of free treatments in India. The national workshop aims to share Kerala’s healthcare achievements with other states while incorporating their experiences. These discussions are expected to help us and other states move closer to achieving universal health coverage. The collaboration and mutual learning will pave the way for creating sustainable and efficient health financing models tailored to public needs,” she said.

Kerala launched its first mass health financing program in 2008 under the LDF government. Over time, it expanded beyond families covered under central schemes to include BPL households in the state. Severe treatments like cancer care and trauma services were integrated, leading to the implementation of the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP) scheme, which provides up to ₹5 lakh in health coverage.

Currently, the KASP scheme benefits 42 lakh individuals, with the state fully funding over 20 lakh beneficiaries. The government spends ₹1,600 crore annually on free treatments, while the central contribution is limited to just ₹150 crore, covering only 10% of the total expenditure, the Minister highlighted.