Ramanathapuram, lying along Tamil Nadu’s southeastern coast, carries a quiet resilience. Known for its historic temples, fishing harbours, and dry inland stretches, it represents both the promise and the challenge of rural healthcare in coastal India.
While the district’s geography connects it to the sea, its healthcare system connects thousands of families to something equally vital — financial protection during illness through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), integrated with Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS).
In Ramanathapuram, PMJAY has not arrived as a sudden reform but as a gradual shift — bridging the distance between resource-limited villages and accessible, cashless hospital care.
Geography and Healthcare Realities
Ramanathapuram (or Ramnad, as locals call it) spans roughly 4,000 square kilometres, bordered by Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Thoothukudi, and the Gulf of Mannar. Its coastal belt of 237 km, including Rameswaram Island, defines both its livelihood and health dynamics.
The population stands at around 13.6 lakh, spread across seven taluks — Ramanathapuram, Rameswaram, Paramakudi, Kamuthi, Mudukulathur, Kadaladi, and Thiruvadanai. Nearly 68% of residents live in rural areas, depending on fishing, agriculture, and small-scale trade.
This geography brings unique healthcare challenges:
- Coastal villages often experience limited hospital access and transport delays.
- Seasonal fishing activity increases accident and injury cases.
- Water-borne and vector-borne diseases remain seasonal concerns.
Despite these challenges, the district has built a functioning health system anchored by government facilities and increasingly supported by PMJAY’s insurance network.
Public Health Infrastructure in Ramanathapuram
According to the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project (2023), Ramanathapuram operates:
- 1 District Headquarters Hospital (Ramanathapuram)
- 6 Taluk Government Hospitals (Paramakudi, Rameswaram, Kamuthi, Mudukulathur, Kadaladi, Thiruvadanai)
- 46 Primary Health Centres (PHCs)
- 290 Health Sub-Centres
These institutions handle nearly 4,500 outpatients daily and about 10,000 monthly inpatient admissions. Maternal and child health services are strong — over 98% of deliveries occur in institutions, supported by CMCHIS and PMJAY benefits.
However, advanced care — cardiology, nephrology, oncology — often requires referrals to Madurai, Sivaganga, or Thoothukudi, underscoring the importance of PMJAY’s cashless referral network.
PMJAY and Its Integration with CMCHIS
PMJAY, implemented under Ayushman Bharat, provides ₹5 lakh annual health insurance per family for secondary and tertiary hospital care. In Tamil Nadu, it works seamlessly with CMCHIS, meaning beneficiaries in Ramanathapuram need only one smart card for both schemes.
Over 1.1 lakh families in Ramanathapuram are covered under the integrated system. According to the District Health Officer’s 2023–24 data, approximately 36,000 treatments were availed under PMJAY-CMCHIS last year, with the highest number of claims from Paramakudi, Kamuthi, and Rameswaram taluks.
The top treatments claimed under the scheme include:
- Orthopaedic and trauma surgeries (19%)
- Cardiac and diabetic care (15%)
- Obstetrics and gynaecology (24%)
- Dialysis and renal procedures (12%)
The data also shows a 32% reduction in out-of-pocket medical expenses since PMJAY’s expansion in 2020.
PMJAY-Approved Hospitals in Ramanathapuram
The district’s PMJAY network includes both government and private hospitals.
Key Hospitals Empanelled under PMJAY:
| No. | Hospital Name | Type / Category | Location / Taluk | Contact Number | Email ID | Specialities (if given) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Govt. Upgraded PHC | Government Hospital | Mandapam | NA | NA | — |
| 2 | Govt. Upgraded PHC | Government Hospital | Thondi | NA | NA | — |
| 3 | Govt. Upgraded PHC | Government Hospital | Devipattinam | NA | NA | — |
| 4 | GUPHC, Nainarkoil | Government Hospital | Paramakudi | NA | NA | — |
| 5 | GUPHC, Bogalur | Government Hospital | Ramanathapuram | NA | NA | — |
| 6 | GUPHC, Kamuthi | Government Hospital | Peraiyur | NA | NA | — |
| 7 | GUPHC, Mudukulathur | Government Hospital | Keelathooval | NA | NA | — |
| 8 | GUPHC, RS Mangalam | Government Hospital | Thiruvadanai | NA | NA | — |
| 9 | GUPHC, Savalkudi | Government Hospital | Kadaladi | NA | NA | — |
| 10 | GUPHC, Parthibanur | Government Hospital | Paramakudi | NA | NA | — |
| 11 | Govt. Kadaladi Taluk Hospital | Government Hospital | Kadaladi | NA | NA | — |
| 12 | Govt. Panaikulam Taluk Hospital | Government Hospital | Panaikulam | NA | NA | — |
| 13 | Govt. Mandapam Taluk Hospital | Government Hospital | Mandapam | NA | NA | — |
| 14 | Govt. Ervadi Taluk Hospital | Government Hospital | Ervadi | NA | NA | — |
| 15 | Govt. Head Quarters Hospital | Government Hospital | Ramanathapuram | 8056898441 | ghramanathapuram@gmail.com | — |
| 16 | Govt. Head Qrtrs Hosp | Government Hospital | Paramakudi | 8220092656 | cmo.paramakudi@gmail.com | — |
| 17 | GUPHC, Periyapattinam | Government Hospital | Thiruppullani | NA | NA | — |
| 18 | GUPHC, Erwadi | Government Hospital | Kadaladi | NA | NA | — |
| 19 | Govt. Hospital Kamuthi | Government Hospital | Kamuthi | 9442956803 | cmo.kamuthigh@gmail.com | — |
| 20 | Govt. Hospital Keelakarai | Government Hospital | Keelakkarai | 9790262492 | cmo.kilakaraigh@gmail.com | — |
| 21 | Govt. Hospital Mudukulathur | Government Hospital | Mudukulathur | 9750193322 | cmomudukulathurgh@gmail.com | — |
| 22 | Govt. Hospital Thiruvadanai | Government Hospital | Thiruvadanai | 9003642299 | cmo.thiruvadanaigh@gmail.com | — |
| 23 | Govt. Hospital Rameshwaram | Government Hospital | Rameshwaram | 8300163848 | cmo.rameswaramgh@gmail.com | — |
| 24 | Govt. Upgraded PHC | Government Hospital | Sayalkudi, Paramakudi | 9786745282 | bmosayalkudi@yahoo.com | — |
| 25 | Govt. Hospital Uchipuli | Government Hospital | Uchipuli | 7558174048 | phc.uchipuli@gmail.com | — |
| 26 | Govt. Hospital Parthibanur | Government Hospital | Parthibanur | 6382410408 | bmoparthibanu_pkd@yahoo.com | — |
| 27 | Govt. Head Qrtrs Hospital (DEIC) | Government Hospital | Ramanathapuram | 9898989898 | udayaprakash.r@vidalhealthtpa.com | — |
| 28 | Govt. DDWO | Govt Office | Ramanathapuram | 9898989898 | udayaprakash.r@vidalhealthtpa.com | — |
| 29 | PPS Hospital | Private Hospital | Ramanathapuram | 9942818384 | ppshospital@gmail.com | General Medicine |
| 30 | Aasi Multispeciality Hospital | Private Hospital | Ramanathapuram | 7708287735 | aasihospital@gmail.com | — |
| 31 | Jeevan Hospital | Private Hospital | Ramanathapuram | NA | NA | — |
| 32 | Prema Clinic | Private Clinic | Ramanathapuram | NA | NA | — |
| 33 | Eswar Hospital | Private Hospital | Ramanathapuram | NA | NA | — |
| 34 | Kanagamani Hospital | Private Hospital | Ramanathapuram | 9965281061 | kanagapriya73@yahoo.com | Nephrology |
| 35 | Rajan Clinic | Private Clinic | Ramanathapuram | 9443321225 | rajansclinic_rmd@yahoo.com | General Medicine |
| 36 | Ramnad Scans | Diagnostic Centre | Ramanathapuram | NA | NA | — |
| 37 | KGS Advanced MR & CT Scans | Diagnostic Centre | Ramanathapuram | NA | NA | — |
| 38 | Arogya Hospital | Private Hospital | Ramanathapuram | 7810084283 | arogyahospitalrmd@gmail.com | — |
Together, these hospitals cover nearly 80% of all PMJAY claims within the district.
How PMJAY Works in Coastal Ramanathapuram
Ramanathapuram’s healthcare map is shaped by its coastline and connectivity. Many fishing villages such as Panaikulam, Valinokkam, and Thoothukudi-Vaippar belt depend on seasonal income. During medical emergencies, travel to district hospitals can take hours.
PMJAY’s cashless coverage helps bridge that time gap — not just financially, but logistically. Local PHCs and coastal health centres coordinate referrals to nearby empanelled hospitals, often arranging ambulance transfers under the scheme’s emergency protocol.
For example, a fisherman injured during work at Pamban can be stabilized at Rameswaram GH and referred to Madurai’s Meenakshi Mission Hospital — all covered under PMJAY’s inter-district network.
This has significantly improved survival rates for trauma and cardiac cases, according to district health records.
Public Health Indicators and PMJAY’s Role
The district’s health metrics reflect steady improvement:
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Reduced from 19 (2018) to 13 (2023) per 1,000 live births.
- Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): Declined from 60 to 37 in the same period.
- Institutional deliveries: Crossed 98% in 2023.
- Dialysis access: Over 420 regular patients now receive treatment under PMJAY in Ramanathapuram GH and Paramakudi GH.
These numbers indicate that the scheme’s benefits go beyond insurance — they strengthen hospital utilization and preventive care systems.
Awareness and Accessibility
Despite the system’s reach, awareness remains uneven. Field reports from PHCs in Kadaladi and Thiruvadanai suggest that some low-income families remain unaware that their CMCHIS card already includes PMJAY benefits.
District officials have started village-level campaigns and mobile health camps to explain coverage and renewal procedures, leading to a 12% increase in new beneficiary enrolments in 2024.
Digital literacy has also helped: local e-Sevai centres now assist families in verifying empanelled hospitals and claims through the PMJAY online portal.
Impact and the Way Forward
For Ramanathapuram, PMJAY’s impact cannot be measured merely by hospital numbers. It lies in the security it brings to families whose livelihoods depend on uncertain sea and soil.
A medical emergency no longer means selling assets or borrowing at high interest. Schemes like PMJAY, integrated through CMCHIS, make the promise of “cashless healthcare for all” a practical reality even in Tamil Nadu’s coastal interiors.
However, challenges remain:
- Expanding specialty services within the district to reduce referrals.
- Increasing private hospital participation beyond Ramanathapuram town.
- Strengthening transport and telemedicine for island and remote villages.
Yet, in steady progress, Ramanathapuram demonstrates that when healthcare protection is both accessible and trusted, even a district shaped by geography and hardship can move toward health equity.
Conclusion
Ramanathapuram’s healthcare transformation under PMJAY is not a story of rapid expansion, but of quiet reliability. A fisherman from Rameswaram, a farmer in Kamuthi, or a mother in Paramakudi — all now stand under one protective framework.
By blending state infrastructure with national insurance reach, PMJAY ensures that quality healthcare is no longer a privilege tied to income or location, but a right extended to every household in this coastal heartland of Tamil Nadu.
FAQs – PMJAY Hospitals in Ramanathapuram District
1. How many PMJAY-approved hospitals are there in Ramanathapuram district?
Ramanathapuram has over 38 empanelled hospitals under the PMJAY–CMCHIS scheme, including both government and select private hospitals. Most of them are located in Ramanathapuram town, Paramakudi, and Rameswaram, while rural areas depend on upgraded PHCs and taluk hospitals for referrals.
2. Are Rameswaram hospitals covered under PMJAY?
Yes. Rameswaram has a few hospitals under PMJAY–CMCHIS that provide emergency and secondary care services. For advanced or tertiary procedures, patients are often referred to Ramanathapuram DHQH or to major hospitals in Madurai.
3. Which treatments are covered under PMJAY in Ramanathapuram?
PMJAY–CMCHIS in Ramanathapuram covers a wide range of procedures, including cardiac surgeries, orthopaedic implants, cancer care, dialysis, maternity care, and general surgeries. The coverage is fully cashless for eligible families.
4. How can Ramanathapuram residents check their PMJAY eligibility?
Residents can verify their eligibility using their ration card or Aadhaar number on the official PMJAY website or through their nearest e-Sevai Maiyam. Local CMCHIS help desks at district or taluk hospitals can also confirm eligibility.
5. Does PMJAY cover treatment in private hospitals in Ramanathapuram?
Yes. Several private hospitals in Ramanathapuram and Paramakudi are empanelled under PMJAY. They provide cashless treatment for eligible patients, with the same procedure limits and benefits as government hospitals.
6. What is the claim process for PMJAY treatments?
Patients need not file any claim manually. All PMJAY and CMCHIS claims are processed digitally between hospitals and the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Corporation. Beneficiaries receive treatment without any direct payment.
7. Where can Ramanathapuram residents find the full hospital list?
The complete list of PMJAY and CMCHIS-approved hospitals in Ramanathapuram can be accessed on the official Tamil Nadu CMCHIS portal or through district health offices. PolicyGuide.in also provides compiled district-wise lists for easier access.
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