‘Conspiracy to stop Farishtey scheme’

New Delhi: Delhi Health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has raised concerns about a “conspiracy” to undermine the effectiveness of the ‘Farishtey’ scheme, which has been instrumental in saving numerous lives in Delhi.

The scheme, which offers timely and cost-free medical treatment for accident victims, has been a lifeline for many. However, Bharadwaj revealed that “Bills from private hospitals involved in the programme have not been paid for the past 1.5 years, causing distress and financial strain on these hospitals and raising questions about a deliberate attempt to hinder the scheme.”

The ‘Farishtey’ scheme, which has earned praise across the nation, has provided medical care to accident victims. Under this scheme, if an individual sustains injuries in a road accident and is admitted to a private hospital, the entire treatment cost is covered by the Delhi government. This initiative has saved over 23,000 lives since its introduction in 2018.

The Health minister explained the gravity of the situation stating, “It’s a deliberate attempt to stop private hospitals from treating accident victims due to a lack of funds.”

When the responsibility of the Health Ministry was transferred to Bharadwaj, he inquired about the dues. Shockingly, officials reported that no dues were pending, although the Health Minister subsequently received information contradicting these claims. These concerns led to a comprehensive investigation, during which the Health Minister found discrepancies in the payment of dues under the ‘Delhi Arogya Kosh’ scheme, which provides free treatment to underprivileged individuals. “As a result, crores of rupees in outstanding dues still exist, and private hospitals have ceased treating accident victims, causing significant inconvenience to Delhi residents,” he said.