JOIN USSaturday ended up being a memorable day for the members of Wenlock District Hospital Care Team.
For the Health and Family Welfare Services commissioner was in New Delhi on Saturday to submit the ‘Wenlock Model’ for successful implementation of Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (ABAK) scheme. District Wenlock Hospital had emerged as the best among 1,611 government hospitals empaneled under the ABAK scheme.
Wenlock Hospital Superintendent and District Surgeon Dr Rajeshwari Devi H R told DH that the state’s existing Arogya Karnataka was merged with Ayushman Bharat launched by the Centre as a universal health scheme a year ago. The scheme provides a health assurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary, tertiary care and even for terminal illness.
“As on August 2019, 5,240 patients had benefited from the scheme, which is the highest in state,” Dr Rajeshwari Devi said with pride. The government had approved a payment of over Rs 3.11 crore as hospital bills for treating 5,240 patients under the scheme, she explained.
Of the total amount, 55% had been utilised for tertiary procedures. “The amount was utilised for buying equipment (Rs 1 crore) for super specialty departments like Neurosurgery, Urology among others. The remaining money was for buying consumables (Rs 1 crore) and drugs (Rs 1 crore),” she said.
The hospital has been enthusiastically popularising the scheme, from the time it was launched, among BPL cardholders.
“The packages under the scheme does not cover entire expenses in cases where beneficiaries required Orthopaedic implants. Thus we are purchasing such Orthopaedic implants under central procurement and giving it free of charge. The patient is saved from the trouble of buying the implant from outside agencies,” District Medical Officer said.
“Besides free mid-day meals for caretakers, patients after being discharged from the hospital are dropped at their houses free of charge,” Dr Rajeshwari Devi said.
Jatha
Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka Jagruthi Jatha will be flagged off by MLAs, including D Vedavyas Kamath, Dr Bharat Shetty and U T Khader on the premises of DC office on Monday (9.30 am). Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner, ZP chief executive officer among others will also be present.
“The rally is being planned from DC office to Wenlock hospital to increase awareness and to reach out to more beneficiaries,” Dr Rajeshwari Devi added.