War room for integration of health schemes: Maharashtra government's new initiative
Mumbai, October 20 (IANS). The Maharashtra government has taken the important step of setting up a ‘war room’ to integrate various health schemes of the state. This initiative was launched at the behest of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which will ensure free or concessional treatment to needy patients. The war room will function under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and Charitable Hospital Help Desk. Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (Mitra) CEO and former IAS officer Praveen Pardeshi has been entrusted with the responsibility of setting up and running it. This step will be a milestone in making health services in the state streamlined, transparent and fast. Various health schemes operating in the state such as Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJGRAY), Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Rajiv Gandhi Jyoti Yojana and Maharashtra State Relief Fund benefit lakh citizens. Under these schemes, assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh is provided for serious treatment like cancer, heart disease, kidney transplant. However, recent data has revealed that in some cases the same patient uses the benefits of two or more schemes, leading to the misuse of government funds. According to a report, complaints of dual eligibility were registered in more than 15 percent of the cases last year, leading to wastage of crores of rupees. War Room will solve this problem, where the database of all the schemes will be integrated and there will be real-time monitoring. For the convenience of citizens, a common toll-free number 1800 123 2211 has been issued. By calling this number patients will get instant information about all the schemes, application process, eligibility check and complaint redressal. The war room will monitor all applications online, which will increase transparency. “This war room will integrate health services. We will prevent duplicate claims through a digital platform and provide assistance to genuine beneficiaries,” said Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (Mitra) CEO Praveen Pardeshi. As a result of this initiative, health coverage in Maharashtra, a state with a population of 11 crore, can reach more than 80 percent. For this initiative, a high-level committee of 12 members has been constituted in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. The committee is chaired by Praveen Pardeshi, while the members include Additional Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of the departments of Public Health, Medical Education, Social Justice, Women and Child Development, Labour, Tribal Development, Minority Development, Disabled Welfare and Law and Justice. –IANS SCH/AS