Jaipur, May 2 (IANS): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has urged the Centre to implement social security in the entire country as it is the "right" of every needy.

"The state government is committed to providing social security to each eligible person and free medicines and treatment in hospitals are part of this." He said that the time is ripe for all the states to implement it and urged the Central Government to provide social security to all the eligible.

The UPA government brought Right to Education, Right to Employment, and Right to Food Security, which were initial steps in this direction, he said, adding that Rajasthan has become a leading state in the country in implementing Universal Health Coverage. With over 1.34 crore families in the state being linked with Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana, costly treatment of diseases of kidney, heart, liver, bone marrow etc are now being provided free of cost, he added.

Action is being taken to list over 5,000 medicines, surgical and sutures under Nishulk Nirogi Rajasthan Yojana. Besides, arrangements have been made for cashless treatment in all the hospitals. For this, additional facilities for essential medicines and tests are being ensured in the hospitals.

So far, more than 72,000 cancer patients and more than 35,000 heart patients have been treated under this scheme and more than 11 lakh patients have been provided free treatment. The state government has spent over Rs 1,400 crore from May 2021 till date. The insurance cover under the scheme has been increased to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 5 lakh.

Quoting a British research, the chief minister said that the diseases that used to affect the people earlier at the age of 75, are now affecting people at the age of 50, for which climate change and changing food habits are majorly responsible. He said that such researches should be conducted in the country also and experts must find measures to prevent them.