Under it, 24 government hospitals can refer patients to 48 empanelled private hospitals for free surgeries. (Representational)Two years after the Delhi government started a health scheme offering free surgeries at 48 empanelled private hospitals, 1,116 people availed it till December 2018, as per the Outcome Budget report. The scheme, ‘Quality Healthcare for All’, started in March 2017 and is applicable to permanent residents of Delhi.
Under it, 24 government hospitals can refer patients to 48 empanelled private hospitals for free surgeries. It provides patients free-of-cost, specified, high-end diagnostic tests and 52 surgeries at private hospitals, in case of delay at government facilities.
As per the report, 2,909 patients have been operated on in various centres under the scheme. It added that the total cost reimbursed by Delhi Arogya Kosh — a corpus that funds the scheme — to private hospitals for surgeries was Rs 3.3 crore in 2017-2018 and Rs 3.69 crore in 2018-2019.
“We will continue to focus on our health schemes. Radiological, diagnostic and free surgery services are being provided to patients visiting the referral government hospitals,” said Deputy CM Minister Manish Sisodia in his budget speech. While L-G Anil Baijal had approved the scheme, its implementation had become a point of contention between him and the government.
“This is one of the most important health schemes… It will be strengthened in the coming years,” said Dr Ashok Rana, Director General of Health Services, Delhi government.
The government has also tied up with private centres to provide free high-end diagnostic tests that are not available at government hospitals. An outlay of Rs 49 crore has been proposed for this in the current Budget.
