Delhi LG approves proposal to bear treatment costs of accidents, fire and acid attacks victims

The LG said complete transparency and relevant procedures or guidelines should be followed strictly while empanelling private hospitals.

New Delhi, Dec 30: Terming the Arvind Kejriwal government's scheme as a step in the "right direction", Lt Governor Anil Baijal has approved Delhi government's proposal to bear the treatment expenses of victims of motor accidents, fire and acid attacks that take place on the city's roads at private hospitals.

Baijal, in a statement issued yesterday, termed the Arvind Kejriwal government's scheme as a step in the "right direction". The LG also stressed that for a robust healthcare system, the "government institutions also need to be strengthened, as the healthcare system cannot be left entirely in the hands of private sector".

The LG said complete transparency and relevant procedures or guidelines should be followed strictly while empanelling private hospitals. He said a mechanism must be evolved for ensuring that unnecessary tests are not prescribed in collusion with private medical centres.

"Further, the quality of tests and the private institutions empanelled for these tests also should be ensured through appropriate penalties in case of malpractices/poor quality," the Raj Niwas said in a statement.

He also advised that the administrative department must develop a system of online Aadhaar-based/biometric tracking of patients to ensure proper follow-up and to prevent any malpractices, given the financial implications, it said.

"Lt Governor today (Friday) approved the Cabinet decision of the Health Department relating to provision of free treatment for medico-legal victims of road accidents, acid attack and burn injuries and termed it as a step in the right direction," the statement said.

Baijal has given his to the proposal of the department for outsourcing of diagnostic (non-radiological) services to provide free laboratory services at Mohalla Clinics, polyclinics and Mobile Health Clinics, it said. He has also agreed with the amendments to the Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) scheme to provide financial assistance for specified high-end diagnostic (radiological) tests or surgeries.

However, noting that the original purpose of the scheme was to help the poor and needy sections of the society, and that the Planning Department too has advocated an income ceiling, he advised the government to retain some "income ceiling" so that the resources of the government were used and the "poor are not crowded out by the well-to-do".

The LG also noted that the focus of these schemes appeared to be on outsourcing and there is no mention in the proposal about any action plan to strengthen the diagnostic infrastructure in the government institutions.

PTI