NEW DELHI: Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said the health check-ups mandated for all workers above 40 years of age in the new Labour Codes would contribute to strengthening worker welfare, apart from creating a protected workforce.
Taking part in the 75th Foundation Day of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) at Bharat Mandapam, the Minister urged officers to take up “collective sankalps” for improvement on the service delivery front.
“There is a need to ensure the availability of medicines, equipment and doctors across all hospitals. Referrals must be minimised by strengthening in-house facilities and ensuring that staff members are delivering their duties with due diligence,” he said.
“Swasthya hi seva hai, aur seva hi hamara sanskar hai” (Health is our mission, and service is our tradition), the Minister said adding that all medical professionals and officers need to be disciplined and honour the trust of the people of our country.
The institution’s journey is a remarkable example of growth, reform and service to the nation “ESIC began its journey in 1952 with around 1.2 lakh beneficiaries and a single dispensary, and has today expanded to serve more than 15 crore beneficiaries through a vast network of 166 hospitals, 17 medical colleges and nearly 1,600 dispensaries,” he said. ESIC’s standards should aspire to match premier institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Madaviya urged.
Labour and Employment Secretary Vandana Gurnani stated that over the past 75 years, ESIC had emerged as a cornerstone of India’s social security architecture. “A healthy, protected and satisfied workforce is inherently more productive and contributes more effectively to the nation’s economic growth,” she said.
In recognition of the Platinum Jubilee, a commemorative coin of denomination marking ESIC@75 was formally released along with the launch of the ESIC@75 coffee table book showcasing the legacy, milestones, and transformative initiatives of the Corporation.
An official release said two MoUs were signed to mark the occasion. An MoU was signed between the National Health Authority and the ESIC for convergence of the ESI Scheme with the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), aimed at strengthening coordinated healthcare delivery and expanding access to quality services. A second MoU was signed between ESIC and the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories to promote quality assurance and accreditation across ESIC healthcare facilities, it said.