Mangaluru: Minister for Health and Family Welfare UT Khader held a press meet at the Circuit House here, on March 7.
Addressing the mediapersons, Khader said, “The Chief Minister will launch the much awaited accident insurance scheme, ‘Mukya Mantri Santvana Harish Yojana’ at 10:30 AM on March 8. As we know that Harish, though he was severed in two after the fatal accident, did not think of himself or his family, but instead made a dying wish to donate his organs. We want to make him immortal so that the coming generation knows of his noble thought.”
“Usually people do not take an accident victim to the hospital fearing legal trouble and the fear of being forced to take care of the initial medical expenses. But through this scheme they will not have to worry about the expenses, as the government will take care of the expenses up to Rs 25000 for the first 48 hours,” he said.
In this scheme, super specialty hospitals and medical colleges will be listed as level 1 hospitals which will treat an accident victim who is in a critical condition. The district level hospitals will provide secondary treatment and will be listed as level 2 hospitals. Taluk level hospitals and other private hospitals will be listed as level 3 hospitals and will treat minor accident cases.
Patients being treated at level 1 hospitals are entitled for a treatment of upto Rs 25000, level 2 hospitals upto Rs 15000 and level 3 hospitals Rs 5000. “This is first time in the Asian continent that such a scheme will be launched. Anyone within Karnataka, a native or a foreigner will be treated under this scheme as we believe that all are entitled to be treated,” he added.
Once an accident victim is taken to a hospital, the hospital will dial a helpline and provide the gender and age of the victim to obtain a unique identification number. Post treatment, the medical bill will be sent to Bengaluru, where it will be subjected to scrutiny and later the hospital will be reimbursed. “Currently there are 13 hospitals in Mangaluru that are empanelled in this scheme and others will join in as soon as they use the helpline to obtain a unique ID to treat an accident victim. People can also dial 108 or 104 to obtain free medical assistance,” Khader added.
He further said, “Rs 10 crore is already allotted for this scheme and Rs 75 crore will be set aside in the next budget. If more funds are needed, there will be supplementary infusion of extra funds to cover the deficit. Further in the coming days, we will launch another scheme for secondary treatment of senior citizens above the age of 60, which will cover the medical expenses up to Rs 60000. The Central Government will allot 60% of the funds for this scheme and the State Government will fund the remaining 40%.”
Speaking about the proposal by KMC hospital to take over Wenlock hospital on a 30 year lease, Khader said, “We need a policy to integrate the private sector and the public sector and it is the duty of the government authorities to keep the district hospital running by submitting reports to the government and receiving grants for the development of the hospital. Wenlock hospital is to be made into a medical college. We get up to Rs 2 crore from the hospital every year. If we give up Wenlock hospital on lease for 30 years for Rs 30 crore, then we will lose Rs 30 crore and further delay the planned government medical college by another 30 years.”
