Mangaluru : Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader said that health department was waiting for approval from Finance department to launch Mukhyamantri Santwana Yojana to provide treatment to the accident victims, within 48 hours.

Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, he said that the scheme was first of its kind in the country and appreciated even by Central government. The scheme will be launched shortly. The scheme offers treatment even to a tourist from other state or country if he or she meets with an accident. Treatment can be provided in any private hospital and the expenses will be borne by the government. The government will pay up to Rs 25,000 if the victim is hospitalised for more than 48 hours. After 48 hours, the patient’s family will be given a choice to either continue treatment at the same hospital or to shift the patient to another hospital.

“The health department had sought Rs 72 crore for the scheme, of which, Rs six crore has been released,” the minister said.

The government has already identified 178 hospitals under the scheme. Even the software has been developed for the same, Khader added.

In spite of the government launching three health schemes for public – Vajpayee Arogya Sri (BPL), Rajeev Arogya Bhagya (APL) and Jyothi Sanjivini (Government employees), there is lack of awareness among the public on the schemes. Hence, the health department will organise a one-day workshop for gram panchayat, taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat members in all districts.

Under these schemes, 192 hospitals have been empanelled to provide treatment to patients, of which 32 hospitals are empanelled outside the State in Hyderabad, Solapur and Kolhapur to help the patients from Hyderabad-Karnataka and Hubballi-Belagavi region. The schemes cover 189 procedures related to cancer, 48 procedures related to cardiac ailment, 50 procedures in neurology, 21 in Urology, and 25 procedures related to neonatal and paediatric.

A total of 2,206 patients have availed treatment under the Vajpayee Arogya Sri in Dakshina Kannada district and a sum of Rs 12.55 crore has been reimbursed. Under Rajeev Arogya Bhagya scheme, 205 persons have availed treatment and a sum of Rs 82.06 lakh has been spent. Under Jyothi Sanjeevini scheme, 57 persons have availed the treatment worth Rs 46.24 lakh.

The Minister said that all the empanelled hospitals have Arogya Mitra to look into the implementation of the schemes. The empanelled hospitals should submit the bills for the treatment within 30 days and the amount is paid within seven days. The hospitals are levelled penalty, if they fail to submit the bills to Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust.

To a query on inquiry into the death of an elderly woman and a child, after undergoing angioplasty and open heart surgery, at Omega Hospital under Vajpayee Arogya Sri scheme, the minister said that Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust had conducted an inquiry and the report was with the Trust. “After the report from a committee constituted by deputy commissioner to probe into the incident reaches the department, we will take a final decision.”