PANAJI
But according to Health Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, the state may be on its way to maintaining a balance with what treatments are offered free of cost and which are not.
Speaking at an event at the Goa Dental College, D’Souza said the introduction of the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana, a universal insurance scheme, will include the private as well as government hospitals.
Admitting that the State had suffered for having to pump in resources and capital to offer services at government hospitals, D’Souza said the insurance scheme would help bring money back into the system.
“This will help keep a balance between how much we can give free to patients. Once the universal insurance Continued from P3
scheme is in place, the Deen Dayal Swasth Seva Yojana which will cover the whole population will take care of 447 interventions, the issue of getting the money back will be resolved because even government hospitals will be included in this scheme,” he said.
According to the scheme, a tender for which had incidentally been floated in 2014, the insurance company would have to pay the government hospitals just as they do with private hospitals.
“It is not only for private hospitals empanelled, but government hospitals as well, so people seeking treatment at government hospitals will also have to be paid,” he added.
D’Souza who in addition to launching the Tobacco Cessation and Oral Hygiene Awareness week, also inaugurated a dedicated clinic for patients with special needs at the Dental College’s Pediatric unit.
D’Souza praised the Dental College for catering to around 1,68,000 patients a year but emphasized on the need to promote preventive measures rather than curative solutions.
