Haryana launching medical insurance scheme

CHANDIGARH, JULY 29

The Haryana Government would soon launch a medical insurance scheme to provide surgery facilities to poor patients. Under this scheme, nominal premium would be charged from people and the remaining expenditure would be borne by the insurer  company. A survey will be carried out for this purpose from August 1.

        This was announced by the Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal, after laying the foundation stone of Government Medical College, Bhiwani, which would be set up over 37 acres in Prem Nagar village at a cost of  Rs 500 crore. The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr. J.P. Nadda, was also present on this occasion.

        The Chief Minister said 570 medicines were being provided to  patients free of cost in government hospitals of the state. Since surgery facility is still costly for the public and most of the operations are done in private hospitals, the state government plans to launch a Medical Insurance Scheme to provide this facilty and affordable treatment to the economically weaker sections of the society.

The state government has increased the budget for medical education and health services by more than 15 per cent to Rs 3,839 crore. Ayurveda, yoga, alopathy and AYUSH health services are being constantly expanded in the state. A government medical colleges in every district willl be set up with assistance of the Central Government. In all, the state government plans to establish 19 more government and private medical colleges.

Mr Manohar Lal urged the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister to set up a big medical institution like AIIMS over 100 acres in Manethi village of Bhiwani district.

At present, there are about 12,000 doctors in Haryana while there should be at least 27,000 doctors to cater to the needs of the population of the state. With the opening of new medical colleges, the shortage of doctors would be overcome in near future.

The Chief Minister said the Ayurvedic Medical Institute in Kurukshetra had been upgraded to the level of university. An Ayurvedic and Yoga Institute would be established over 25 acres in Panchkula with assistance of the Central Government. Similarly, a medical college would be opened in Mahendragarh.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. J.P. Nadda said the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, had the vision to take health services to rural India. The Union Ministry has approved Rs 189 crore for the college being established in Prem Nagar under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. Under this Yojana, 58 medical colleges are being opened in areas having less medical services. In the second phase, 82 medical colleges would be established, he added.

Mr. Nadda said the Central Government would set up super speciality block in PGIMS, Rohtak, at a cost of Rs 150 crore. New hospitals would be constructed in Mahendragarh and Mewat for cancer treatment, he added.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister ordered that work on  consolidation be started in Prem Nagar village. Besides, he announced Rs 10 crore each for rural and urban development of Bawani Khera and Bhiwani Assembly constituencies. He also accepted various demands costing about Rs 100 crore.

Others present on the occasion included Minister of State for Cooperation, Mr. Manish Kumar Grover, MLA, Mr. Ghanshyam Das Saraf, MLA, Mr. Sukhwinder Mandhi, and other prominent personalities.

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