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Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Aug 4: Health minister U T Khader on Tuesday August 4 said that the health department has introduced Vajpayee Arogyashree scheme for BPL card holders, Rajiv Arogya Bhagya scheme for APL card holders and Jyothi Sanjeevini scheme for government employees.

Addressing a press meet at the Circuit House here, Khader said, "The health department has taken the initiative to introduce Jyothi Sanjeevini scheme to provide cashless treatment for government employees. We are the first state to provide health insurance to government employees. The health department provides free medical treatment to children from 0 to 18 years under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). These schemes are available to all government and private empanelled hospitals," he said.

He also said that the Vajpayee Arogyashree scheme has been extended to all divisions in the state, and that the Rajiv Arogya Bhagya scheme for APL card holders has been introduced for the first time.

Khader further said that the health department will hold a day long training camp to spread awareness about these programmes among representatives and people in Mangaluru in the coming days. “In Dakshina Kannada and Udupi there are 14 hospitals. The health department has its own appointed staff 'Aroygya Mitra' who will provide information about the available schemes.

"Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme is an accident insurance scheme introduced for the first time in Asia. Under this scheme the government will provide Rs 25, 000 within 48 hours of accident. Our software is ready for the launch of this programme. We are awaiting financial clearance. We have demanded Rs 72 crore from the state government. Department officers have presented a well appreciated ‘road safety economic concern’ scheme to the union government at a seminar. The PM has also planned to introduce this programme throughout the country. Schemes like bike ambulance, Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme and BPL insurance are the model schemes in the state and in future they will cover the whole of India," he said.

He further informed, "Places in Karnataka like Gulburga, Raichur, Yellburga have no government and private hospitals and have a distance of 300 to 400 kms to avail hospital facility. So we have also empanelled 26 hospitals in Hyderabad. For the people of Belagavi and Hubballi region in Sholapur and Kolapur of Maharashtra, we have empanelled 36 hospitals outside the state."

Speaking about a new facility at the government Wenlock Hospital, Khader said, "A city-based NGO 'Snehalaya' has come forward to provide lunch for the attendants. Earlier, the patients' attendants used to have lunch at hotels or were forced to share the lunch provided by the hospital for the patients. The same system will be introduced in every district if more NGOs come forward."

DMO Rajeshwari Devi, Arogyashree Trust Boregowda, regional director Dr Prasad and Dr Pradeep Srivastava were present at the meet.