THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With stent distribution to Cath labs in Government Medical College Hospitals (MCHs) heading towards a crisis, the Health Department said the deadlock mainly owes to limited release of funds from health insurance schemes like Karunya Benevolent Fund, CHIS Plus and newly launched Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP). The authorities also said the distributors’ claim of dues from 2012 has to be thoroughly verified.
“Release of funds from insurance schemes is limited. Take the case of KASP. Almost four months have passed since its launch. In GMC Thiruvananthapuram alone, an amount of Rs three crore is needed each month. But through KASP, Rs 90 lakh has been distributed altogether,” said an officer of the Health Department.
The officer said Reliance General Insurance, which is managing RSBY, is withholding funds citing lame reasons. At the same time, Director of Medical Education Dr Remla Beevi said outstanding dues towards stent distributors would be cleared immediately and she assured that no patients would suffer.