By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean

Mangalore: Manipal University has instituted the Arogya Card 2012 as part of its social initiative with the objective to provide quality healthcare at affordable cost to a large section of the society.  Manipal Arogya Card enables a member to avail large benefits by way of discounts on inpatient and out patient treatment in various networked hospitals under Manipal Health enterprises and Manipal University said the Medical Superintendent, KMC Hospital, Attavar,  Dr Madhusdan Upadya, in a media meet, held at Hotel Maharaja, near Jyoti Circle, here on July 10.

Dr Upadya said, "By paying a small sum as membership fee anybody can obtain membership and he/she will receive the cost back as concessions from just two or three usages of the card".  The membership is open till July 31, 2012.

Further speaking on the benefits of Manipal Arogya Card at KMC Hospital, Mangalore Dr Upadya stated that the card entitles for free consultation at KMC Attavar, 50% discount on consultation at KMC hospital, Ambedkar Circle, Jyothi circle, 25% discount on all hospital charges (excluding consumables) in general ward IP admission, 20% discount on preventive health check, dental treatment (excluding materials and consumables), lab investigations and radiology (CT, MRI, Ultrasound, XRay etc) investigations, upto 10% discount on medicines, Rs 50/-  discount on dialysis. Apart from KMC hospital, Mangalore the benefits of Manipal Arogya Card can be availed at other network hospitals namely at Kasturba hospital, Manipal, Dr TMA Pai hospital Udupi, Karkala and Manipal college of Dental Sciences, Manipal and Mangalore.

Chief Operating Officer, KMC Hospital, Mangalore Pramod Alagharu, stated that Manipal Aroghya Card is a unique scheme in which the discounts on treatment can be availed on pre-existing diseases as well. Manipal Arogya Card is priced at just Rs 250/- for an individual card and Rs 500/- for family card.  Family includes the card holder, spouse and children below 21 years of age ( any number of children). An add-on card is also available for the parents of primary card holders under the family card scheme for Rs 100/- per parent. For renewal of card, 10% discount on membership fee is offered.

Applications for the scheme are available at KMC Hospital, Mangalore, Kasturba Hospital Manipal,, Dr T M A Pai Hospital Udupi and Karkal, and syndicate Bank branches in Udupi, Mangalore, Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, Davangere, Chitradurga, Chikmagalur, Kodagu and in North Kerala, said Dy Medical Superintendent Dr Anand Venugopal.