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Farishtey scheme: Punjab to sponsor full treatment of road mishap victims
However, the Punjab government has now decided to launch the Farishtey scheme for the full treatment from its kitty leaving no confusion behind. Private hospitals empanelled under the scheme will be provided reimbursed bills as per the rates fixed by the government.
Taking a giant step in saving lives in road accidents, the Punjab government has decided to sponsor full treatment of all victims under the ‘Farishtey’ scheme, the flagship programme of the Bhagwant Mann government set to be launched on January 26.
As per the earlier proposal of the scheme finalised by the state government, it was proposed to provide free treatment to all road accident victims within the first 48 hours of the mishap in government and private hospitals.
However, the government has now decided to launch the scheme for the full treatment from its kitty leaving no confusion behind. Private hospitals empanelled under the scheme will be provided reimbursed bills as per the rates fixed by the government.
This scheme is on the pattern of Delhi to deal with casualties in road accidents due to the dearth of timely medical help.
Last week, the health department had conducted meeting with private hospitals under the banner of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab, in which private hospitals were exhorted to register themselves under the scheme.
As per the rate list of 52 packages finalised to treat accident victims, private hospitals have been offered rates as per the Ayushman Bharat Sehat Bima Yojana.
As per details of the scheme given to private hospitals, the government has studied the scheme already running in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for implementation charges.
“But Punjab wants to treat patients till discharge whereas in other states the treatment is amount limited for first 48 hours,” the official document of the scheme revealed.
However, till now not many hospitals have shown keen interest keeping in view of the dues pending with the government related to Ayushman Bharat Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana.
“Not many hospitals have shown interest in empanelment under Farishtey as government has not made the standard operating procedures clear to the hospitals. Only those hospitals have come forwarded who are doing treatment under Ayushman Bharat. Rests have decided to continue its practice of giving first aid to victims free of cost,” said secretary elect of IMA Punjab, Dr BS Johal.
For the scheme, the government has mapped government and hospitals on all major roads within 25-km radius.
Health and family welfare minister Dr Balbir Singh confirmed that the state has decided to launch the scheme by offering full treatment to victims free of cost.
“We will provide free of cost treatment to all victims barring their caste, creed, financial status and even nationality. Its first-of-its-kind scheme being launched by any state in the country. We aim to save many lives through this scheme,” said the health minister.
The State Health Agency (SHA), health department’s agency responsible for Sehat Bima Yojana, has already prepared the full blueprint of the scheme.
The scheme which may go a long way in saving lives in road accidents, is aimed at making maximum use of the ‘Golden Hour’, the first crucial hour after a road accident, during which time if a seriously injured person is given critical care, their chances of survival increase highly.
Under ‘Farishtey’, anyone taking the road accident victim to the hospital for treatment will be honoured and rewarded with ₹2,000. Those who will help the victim will also be provided with a certificate of appreciation.
There will be no questioning by police or hospital authorities from the person who brought the road accident victim to the hospital, until and unless he himself wants to become an eyewitness.
