Over Rs 168 crore spent to provide health facilities in last 5 yrs: Dy CM

New Delhi: The government's "Delhi Arogya Kosh" has benfitted more than 4.27 lakh patients with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia directing the officials of the Health Department to focus on working towards ensuring the timely benefit of the government scheme to the maximum number of people across the city.

The schemes under "Delhi Arogya Kosh" include — financial assistance up to Rs 5 lakh for different types of medical implants, 136 free medical test facility at private labs, free surgery scheme in private hospitals, and accident victims get immediate treatment in any hospital.

The government also provides financial assistance of upto Rs 5 lakh for various types of implants and more than 5,000 people have availed the benefit of the scheme so far.

The scheme has been providing free implants, tests, surgeries and excellent health facilities for families from economically weaker sections. Between the year 2017 to March 2022, more than 4.27 lakh patients have benefited from the scheme for which,

Rs 168.43 crore has been spent so far.

There are four schemes under the name of "Delhi Arogya Kosh" which includes financial support from the government for medical implants, various types of surgeries, 136 types of medical tests and the Farishtey scheme for treatment of the accident victims.

In case of waiting in a government hospital, patients can get 136 types of medical tests like X-ray to CT scan done free of cost from private labs, the government bears the entire cost and so far 3.91 lakh people have taken advantage of this scheme, Sisodia said.

Under the scheme if any citizen goes to any Delhi government hospitals for treatment and has to face a waiting period for examination or treatment and the patient needs immediate care, then the patient can avail the services in a private hospital with the doctor's reference.

Cashless checkup and treatment will be provided to them in all the empanelled hospitals and the cost of which will be borne by the government. Under the scheme, any citizen who has Delhi's voter card can get treatment.

Children below 19 years of age can avail this facility on the basis of their parents' voter card, the government said in a statement. In the last five years 11,669 patients have availed the benefit of the Free Surgery Scheme, Sisodia said and added that the government has given Rs 67.34 crore for it so far.

Meanwhile, accident victims can get free and immediate treatment in private hospitals under the Farishtey Scheme and 18,919 people have taken advantage of this scheme in the last 3 years and Rs 28.11 crore has been given out so far.