Swasthya Sathi: State forms panel to revise 'rates for treatment packages'

Kolkata: The state government has set up a four-member committee headed by the Chief Secretary to look into the issue related to revision of "rates for treatment packages" under the Swasthya Sathi scheme.

This comes after the massive drive was launched to cover every resident of Bengal under the scheme.

"The revision of rates for different treatment is needed as the same that of 2016-17, when Swasthya Sathi scheme was launched is continuing. So the need of changing the rates has been felt to ensure that nursing homes can provide the treatment without any problem and the public also reap the seamless benefit of the scheme," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

In the same breath she requested nursing homes and private hospitals to give priority to the people approaching them with Swasthya Sathi cards and also said: "We must keep in mind that there is something called social security and it is above

business."

The four-member committee headed by Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay also comprises Home Secretary HK Dwivedi, Finance Secretary Manoj Pant and Health Secretary NS Nigam.

She further said that the work to revise the rates will start in the next two to three days time. "The rates this time will be more flexible," Banerjee said.

While speaking on the issue, the Chief Secretary said: "Some hospitals and nursing homes had urged us to look into the rates of treatment packages.

The Chief Minister and the state cabinet have decided to set up a committee comprising officers to look into the same so

that Swasthya Sathi becomes win win."

The cabinet on Thursday has principally agreed to ensure sanctioning of additional funds that would be needed for seamless delivery of service under Swasthya Sathi schemes at nursing homes and hospitals.

The Chief Minister further said that the state government is spending Rs 2,500 crore every year for the scheme that provides health coverage of Rs 5 lakh per year to every family in the state. The entire 10 crore populations are getting benefitted.

She also stated that there is nothing to make a hue and cry out of one particular incident when lakhs of people are getting benefitted.

Meanwhile, Banerjee, who is also the state Health Minister, announced an increase in the number of beds at Kaliaganj Hospital.

"The 60 bed hospital will be turned to one with 250 beds. They had demanded to increase the number of beds to 100. It will benefit the residents of both North and South Dinajpur," Banerjee said.