CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Federation of Voluntary Agencies (TAFVA), a body of 2000 NGOs, has prepared a blueprint for taking health to the doorstep of the common man in the State on the lines of Aarogyasri in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, according to its secretary general V R Rajan.
Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Rajan said that TAFVA wanted to replicate Aarogyasri based on its success in AP where the poor were given insurance covers for major health complications, with the cooperation of the State Government.
The representatives of TAFVA, who had already made a study of the AP model in West Godavari district, wanted to implement a similar health insurance scheme in Tamil Nadu with the active support of the State Government. Plans were afoot to present a report to the State government on the feasibility of the ambitious health insurance scheme, Rajan added. ``Now, the poor are receiving treatment for common ailments in hospitals run by the State Government and there is very little scope for them to get specialised care for heart and other complications,’’ he said.
The health scheme formulated by TAFVA would take care of the specialised treatments for the poor with the help of a health insurance scheme promoted for them on payment of an annual premium by the State government under the Millennium Development Goals. The health scheme is a bridge between the pople and the government, said V Muralidharan, vice-president of TAFVA.
TAFVA NGO AWARDS: TAFVA would also identify five NGOs and SHGs from each district of TN and Puducherry for their meritorious services in areas like rural development, health and sanitation, education, environment and women and child welfare and award them with a medal, shield and a citation.