The Swasthya Sathi scheme, launched by the Mamata Banerjee government, offers a basic health cover to every family for receiving secondary and tertiary care up to Rs 5 lakh per annum.
Kolkata:
West Bengal Director of Health Services (DHS) Dr. Ajay Chakraborty on Sunday said everyone is eligible for receiving free treatment in state government hospitals irrespective of the status of the Swasthya Sathi card.
The Swasthya Sathi scheme, launched by the Mamata Banerjee government, offers a basic health cover to every family for receiving secondary and tertiary care up to Rs 5 lakh per annum.
Dr. Chakraborty said that it does not matter whether a family has exhausted the Rs 5 lakh limit under the Swasthya Sathi card in a year for being eligible for free treatment in state-run hospitals.
With several patients getting admitted to government facilities saying they do not have the medical insurance card issued by the state, efforts are also on to check whether some of the huge number of people who are already in possession of the cards are genuine or not, the top health official said.
”Irrespective of card status or spending status, everybody is entitled to free treatment in state government hospitals,” he told PTI.
Clarifying that the West Bengal government’s position on making the Swasthya Sathi card mandatory at government hospitals for patients is for statistical purposes, he said ”we are trying to find out whether every person has come under the ambit of the scheme.”
”By making the card mandatory, we can also know the kind of ailments with which patients are turning up at government hospitals and with what medical issues they are going to private healthcare facilities,” he said.
Chakraborty said that the data will help in shaping future planning for the health care system in the state.
Chakraborty said that it will be ensured that patients who do not have Swasthya Sathi cards are issued the smart cards at government hospitals.
”Those without the Swasthya Sathi card are getting free treatment in government hospitals as usual,” he clarified.