Junior docs’ strike: ‘Swasthya Sathi expenses surge by over Rs 1.13 cr daily’

Kolkata: Following the junior doctors’ agitation, the state government’s spending on patient treatment under the Swasthya Sathi scheme in private hospitals has surged significantly, as many patients opted for private facilities over government hospitals.

Sources indicate that the daily expenditure under the Swasthya Sathi scheme across Bengal has increased by over Rs 1.13 crore, compared to the Health department’s usual spending.

A survey which was carried out between August 10 and September 18, revealed that the state had to bear a cost of Rs 7.86 crore for the treatment of patients under Swasthya Sathi in various government hospitals. The entire amount that has been spent by the state’s exchequer under the head of Swasthya Sathi during this period stood at around Rs 315 crore. Before the junior doctors’ agitation had begun, the state used to spend much less than Rs 300 crore for Swasthya Sathi on average.

State health department has submitted a report to Nabanna in this regard. The maximum amount spent under the scheme from the Kolkata-based private hospitals. When the junior doctors were carrying out a cease-work in the state-run medical colleges disrupting the health services, many patients after failing to avail health services in the government-run institutions, visited the private hospitals for treatment. Health secretary NS Nigam in September had said that due to the cease-work called by the junior doctors following the RG Kar incident, around 7 lakh outdoor patients and 70,000 indoor patients were denied treatment during that period. Over 7,000 planned surgeries were deferred while 1,500 patients in cath labs were left untreated. As many as 23 lives were lost due to lack of treatment, Nigam had said.

Meanwhile, the Mamata Banerjee government has managed to cover 2.4 crore families under the state’s flagship Swasthya Sathi scheme.

As many as 2,400 hospitals have been empanelled to ensure widespread availability of free-of-cost health services for the people.

What is significant is that around 28 lakh migrant workers residing outside Bengal have been taking the benefits of Swasthya Sathi now.