The Uttarakhand Government is planning to provide free health services to about 22 lakh families of the state said Finance Minister Prakash Pant while addressing newsmen at Max hospital here on Friday. He said that all families whose annual income is less than Rs 5 lakh per year would be included in the scheme to provide free health facility. Pant refuted the charge of the former Chief Minister Harish Rawat that the financial sector is mismanaged.
He said that the former Congress Government left a huge debt burden for the state. Pant accepted that in Uttarakhand 70 per cent population of urban areas use the health facilities of Private sector.
The Minister was in the hospital to launch its day care centre wherein the patient can go home within 24-hours of surgery. Under the plan, the hospital would perform select general surgery, ENT, orthopaedics, gastroenterology, plastic surgery, spine surgery, urology and obstetrics surgeries and release the patient on the same day.
Senior Consultant General Surgery Dr. Mohammad Atif Khan said that “Day ( Ambulatory ) care centers” is a well known and a proven concept in the developed countries. The recovery time in day care surgeries is less than 24-hours post the surgeries. He said that the process for day care surgeries begins as soon as the patient reports to the hospital wherein a day care ‘buddy’ is assigned to him. A detailed explanation of the day care surgery procedure, admission, discharge criteria and post-operative care at home is provided to patient. The procedure and aftercare is explained to the patient and any investigations required are conveyed two days prior to the surgery. Post-surgical medication and other relevant instructions are given in the day care ward by a professional day care nurse, he further informed.
The Chairman Max institute of Neuro Sciences, Dehradun Dr A K Singh said that the Day care surgeries are very good for patients due to high precision, shorter stay, minimal pain, blood loss, and faster recovery.
The Vice-President and Unit Head at Max Super Hospital Dehradun, Dr Sandeep Singh Tanwar claimed that the hospital is the first healthcare provider in the region to offer an organized day care setup under various specialties. Day care surgeries are not only cost effective for patients but they also give them the option to return home mostly by day’s end for a more comfortable recovery, he added.
The Director Health services Dr T C Pant was also present on the occasion.