BHUBANESWAR: With MLAs expressing concern over refusal to provide free health care services to beneficiaries of Biju Swasthya Kalayan Yojana (BSKY) by private hospitals, Assembly Speaker SN Patro on Wednesday directed the state government to take suitable action to ensure that the patients are not deprived of cashless treatment.
The Speaker gave the ruling to Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das during discussion on an adjournment notice on worsening health services in the state after several members, including Santosh Singh Saluja of Congress, described the plight of BSKY cardholders at the hands of private hospitals.
Patro asked the Minister to discuss the issue with all the members of the House and address their concern proactively.
Initiating the debate on the issue, BJP MLA Bishnu Sethi cited the example of Sunakar Sahu of Kendrapara who was denied cashless treatment for his son by a private hospital of the capital city.
Though his son died while undergoing treatment, the hospital did not release the body as he could not afford to pay Rs 3.6 lakh.
A BSKY card holder, Sahu had no other option after Kendrapara DHH referred his son to the private hospital.
He could pay Rs 1.6 lakh after selling whatever assets he had, the BJP legislator said.
Giving several instances, Sethi said many BSKY card holders are forced to avail treatment in private hospitals as in most cases they are referred to such facilities by government hospitals- starting from primary to tertiary level.
Though government hospitals have all medical equipment required for critical care at district level, in most cases such facilities remain unutilised.
Even government medical colleges and Capital Hospital here are no exception.
He urged the Health Minister to find out why modern equipment available in government hospitals are not put to use.
Coming down heavily on the government for poor health services in the State, Saluja asked the Minister to explain why Odisha slide to 19th position in the health index of NITI Aayog.
Criticising the state government for doing nothing to improve healthcare services in the last 20 years, Jayanarayan Mishra of BJP said 112 primary healthcare centres do not have electricity while 57 PHCs have no doctor.
Claiming that 1,239 out of 5,298 sub-centres have no permanent building, Mishra said as many as 1,016 out of 4,681 sanctioned posts for doctors are lying vacant.
The Health Minister, however, claimed that overall transformation of public health facilities in the State has resulted in increasing people’s faith on government hospitals.
As per National Family Health Survey Report, 91 per cent of the population of the state are relying on public health facilities.
The Minister said a new health policy will be announced soon.