Himcare Row Boils Over: ‘Men’s Uterus Surgery’ Bills Spark Political Storm in Himachal
Shimla/Chamba: Himachal Pradesh’s flagship health scheme Himcare—widely seen as a boon for people not covered under Ayushman Bharat Yojana—has once again turned into a political flashpoint, with the bizarre issue of “uterus surgeries on men” triggering a fresh war of words between the ruling Congress and the BJP. As vigilance probes alleged fake billing, the controversy is only deepening.
BJP MLA from Bharmour, Dr Janak Raj, hit out strongly, calling it a “serious systemic lapse being given a political colour.” He said, “Medically, men cannot have a uterus. If such bills have been processed, it clearly points to either gross negligence or deliberate manipulation. Instead of fixing accountability, the Sukhu government is trying to pin the blame on the BJP.”
At the heart of the controversy are claims that under the Himcare scheme, certain hospitals raised bills showing uterus-related procedures for male patients. Preliminary findings suggest these may actually be cases linked to prostate cancer treatment, where specific chemotherapy packages were used—but coding and billing discrepancies have raised red flags.
Dr Janak Raj alleged that “the government is now hunting for loopholes to shift blame onto the previous regime, rather than ordering a transparent audit of the healthcare system.” He demanded an independent third-party audit of all Himcare claims and strict action against those found guilty.
Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has already accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of relying on “half-baked information,” clarifying that the cited cases could be related to rare cancer treatments involving drug combinations, not surgeries.
The state government, on its part, maintains that any irregularity will be dealt with firmly and that the vigilance inquiry is underway.
For now, the truth remains under investigation—but the Himcare scheme, meant to extend healthcare access beyond Ayushman Bharat Yojana coverage, has landed squarely in the middle of a political storm, raising uncomfortable questions about oversight, accountability, and governance.
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