Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 26: Member of parliament Capt Brijesh Chowta has issued a stern warning of strict and ruthless action against hospitals that show negligence or refuse to admit road accident victims during emergencies under the central government's PM RAHAT scheme.
During a crucial meeting held on Saturday with the district health officer and officials from allied departments in Dakshina Kannada, the member of parliament reviewed the progress of the scheme and gathered comprehensive details.
"PM RAHAT is a vital initiative to ensure accident victims are admitted to hospitals on time, saving precious lives. If any hospital shows negligence or irresponsibility by refusing to admit victims during emergencies, ruthless and strict action will be taken against them," he warned.
Under the PM RAHAT scheme, a road accident victim is entitled to receive free, cashless emergency treatment up to Rs 1.50 lakh for a maximum of seven days at both government and private hospitals, without the hassle of producing documents.
"The prime minister introduced this excellent scheme to eliminate the fear and hesitation the public often feels when taking accident victims to hospitals. Although the central government launched the scheme in 2025, the state government rolled it out in February this year. It must now be implemented strictly and effectively," the member of parliament stated, calling upon the officials to make Dakshina Kannada a model district in its execution.
To ensure victims receive the scheme's benefits without delay, hospitals are mandated to enter the patient's details into the designated portal within 24 hours of admission (or a maximum of 48 hours for critical cases). Once the police department verifies and approves the information, the government directly bears the treatment costs. The member of parliament cautioned that if the data is not recorded within the stipulated time, eligible victims might be deprived of free treatment, and he directed all private and government hospitals to strictly comply with this protocol.
Furthermore, he instructed the district health officer to conduct taluk-level meetings with major hospitals to ensure the scheme's rigorous implementation across the district.
Stressing the need for systematic data management of treated victims, the member of parliament suggested holding monthly review meetings to track progress. He also called for creating public awareness at the hospital level and urged the health department, police department, and hospitals to work in seamless coordination to ensure victims receive the intended benefits.
Member of legislative assembly Vedavyas Kamath, district health officer Dr H Thimmaiah, deputy commissioner of police Ravishankar, and representatives from major hospitals in the district were present at the meeting.