HYDERABAD: While the bills to be paid towards the Aarogyasri Health Care Trusts (AHCT) -- and in turn, the private/corporate hospitals across the State -- await clearance from the government, the government employees, who have been banking on the scheme for various health services, have been facing the brunt of the situation.
In other words, some of the corporate hospitals have begun refusing to offer medical services under the Employee Health Scheme (EHS) to government employees. In fact, sources said that several patients were provided treatment only after the matter was brought to the notice of the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust.
With about `1,300 crore yet to be paid to them by the government, the body of corporate and private hospitals empanelled with AHCT, the Telangana Aarogyasri Network Hospitals Association (TANHA), had earlier maintained that they would boycott outpatient medical services from November 20, and inpatient services from December 1.
However, some of the hospitals have stopped offering medical attention to patients under EHS even before the said deadline. They have also submitted a representation to AHCT CEO K Manicka Raj regarding the same.
“I went to a corporate hospital on Friday for treatment. But I was told that they have stopped offering services under EHS,” said an official working in State Health Department. Further, officials working in the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust stated that a few such complaints have been resolved when it was brought to their notice.
“Scores of people, including government employees, go to hospitals when they or their family members face health crises. No one should be denied treatment in situations like that,” said A Padma Chary, president of Telangana Udyoghula Sangham.
Stopping the scheme for even a few days could lead to financial crisis or discomfort to people as about 77.19 lakh families rely on Aarogyasri Health Scheme, and 11 lakh people have recourse to EHS.
It is learnt that the State Finance Department has gotten hold of the files pertaining to the pending dues. Officials said that the bills would be cleared as soon as the file is through. Meanwhile, owners of hospitals said that bills need to be cleared not in installments but in full amount as fresh dues get added with each passing month.
Flu cases on the rise
HYDERABAD: With drop in temperatures across the State, Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) are getting aggravated and increasing number of people are approaching pulmonologists and general physicians seeking treatment. Besides this, the number of flu cases are also on rise as the weather conditions are favourable for flu causing viruses to survive. In fact, there has been a rise in the number of swine flu cases too.
Senior consultant physician at KIMS Hospitals, Dr K Shivaraju urged people suffering from these diseases not to go for early morning walks or jogs, and to wear winter clothing to avoid direct exposure to cold air. While minimum
temperature of 10 degree Celsius was recorded in Adilabad a few days ago, 23 degree Celsius was recorded in Hyderabad.