CM to launch 'Healthizen' in Bangalore today

Complaining about lack of facilities at govt hospitals to authorities concerned is just a click away, says Khader

Complaining about insufficient facilities at the government hospitals to the authorities concerned, is just one click away. With the health and family welfare department launching a mobile application ‘Healthizen’ today in Bangalore, the Android phone users can now download the app and use it to send information about the problems in government hospitals, primary and community health centres.

Addressing mediapersons on Thursday, Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader said that the application should be more of a system to rectify problems in the health department, than merely being a complaint box. The users could send images of a particular complaint. The application which will be available in Google Play Store will use real-time imaging to track the exact location from where the image is clicked. This is an effort to blend science and technology in medical field, he said.

The application will undergo a trial run for about a month in Bangalore and later it will be available for users in other parts of the State. Complaints ranging from lack of facilities, to the delay in the arrival of doctor to the hospital can be uploaded in Healthizen. The complaints will be received by the Minister and the Secretary, while a team of officials will monitor and respond. However, the hospitals that come under the Medical Education department will not come under the system. The chief minister will launch the app on Friday evening. The Union health ministry too has shown interest in the app and the department is ready to give them the app for free, Khader said.

Health insurance for APL

On the lines of Vajapayee Arogyasri Scheme, the health department will soon introduce Rajiv Arogya Bhagya, a health insurance scheme for APL families. Khader told reporters that the scheme recieved Cabinet nod on Thursday. Under the scheme, 70 per cent of the medical expense will be borne by the government, while 30 per cent is borne by the patient. The ratio changes, if the patient opts for special room.

“The scheme indirectly helps the department to avail information on the fee prescribed for every disease by empanelled private hospitals. Over 100 hospitals have already agreed to implement the scheme,” he said. He also shared his plan to introduce yet another mobile app that provides information about the fee prescribed by every hospital for different surgeries. It will help to control the exorbitant fee presribed by hospitals.

The Cabinet has also approved yet another ambitious scheme ‘Santwana Yojane,’ to provide free treatment to accident victims for the first two days. Under the scheme, Khader said, the treatment is categorised into three varieties, ranging from below Rs 5,000, up to Rs 25,000. The government will bear an amount up to Rs 25,000 for the first two days, in whichever hospital the victim is admitted. The family can bear the treatment after two days, he said.