BPL card holders to get free treatment at AIIMS

New Delhi, Mar 9 (UNI) Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi told Lok Sabha today that persons living below poverty line will be given exemption of charges for any diagnostic/special procedures or general ward hospitalisation in AIIMS.

The exemption would be given not only to patients having BPL rations cards but also those who did not have them but had recommendation by area Sub Divisional Magistrate or Member of Parliament or the Medical Social Service Officer.

In other situations where the faculty was convinced that the patient was poor and could not afford to pay for the investigation/procedure, he or she may exempt directly or after verification by MSSO, as considered appropriate by the treating faculty.

On an question whether the government had advertised the said criteria in the national and provincial newpapers regarding essential production of a BPL card or income certificare from a competent authority, she said no such advertisement had been made as the poor patients were aware of the facility.

A circular to this effect was issued on February 6.

UNI IP JN PC1836