THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Offering a boon to elderly patients, the budget proposed the scheme ‘Karunya at Home’ for the door delivery of medicines. There will be a registration process and the door delivery will be strictly based on prescription. While the general population will get the discount given by Karunya medical shops, the elderly can avail of an extra discount of one per cent.
Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has expanded the scope of the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (health security scheme) to provide free treatment in the first 48 hours for those injured in road accidents. He reiterated that Covid-19 vaccines will be given free of cost.
By approving the creation of 4,000 posts in the next financial year, the budget sought to address the long-pending demand of an overstretched public healthcare system. Though the priority will be given to filling posts in medical colleges, the health department has been given the freedom to decide the fields which require additional posts.
“It is a welcome move that will help ensure quality service to patients,” said Dr G S Vijayakrishnan, general secretary, Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association. “Government hospitals have a shortage of 5,000 doctors. With more people making use of the public health system, it is important to create more posts for taluk hospitals which provide speciality services.”
Karunya Benevolent Fund to continue
T’Puram: In the budget, Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac emphasised that the Karunya Benevolent Fund will continue. It was temporarily stopped earlier. The beneficiaries of KBF are those who are not covered under the Karunya Social Security Scheme. The project will continue to be implemented through the State Health Agency. “The maximum amount for in-patient care for beneficiaries of Karunya Social Security Scheme is Rs 5 lakh,” Isaac said.
While the health sector at large has welcomed the proposal, there are concerns about the pending dues. “We welcome the move. However, there need to be more deliberations on the specifics like which all treatments will be covered by it and various expenses. These measures will only be in place by April and we will have time to study the new additions to the scheme by then. We also are anxious about the dues,” said Dr Mohammad Rashid representing Kerala Private Hospitals Association.
Health Sector
Total outlay - C2,341 crore
National Health Mission - C811 crore
Ayurveda sector - C78 crore
Homoeopathy sector - C32 crore