Govt working on CGHS grievance redressal

The Union health ministry is working on Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) grievance redressal, timely reimbursements and prompt clearance of CGHS bills to enhance quality and coverage of CGHS services, said minister Mansukh Mandaviya while virtually inaugurating the CGHS Wellness Centre in Silchar, Assam, on Wednesday.

CGHS was started in 1954 with the objective of providing comprehensive health care to Central Government employees and pensioners and their dependent family members. Currently more than 41 lakh beneficiaries in 75 cities are covered by this scheme.

There has been a three-fold increase in the number of CGHS wellness centres from 25 in 2014 to 75 now. With the new CGHS Wellness Centre in Silchar, the city has become third city in Assam after Guwahati and Dibrugarh to have CGHS facilities.

“The commitment of the central government to providing easily accessible quality healthcare services to the beneficiaries. The new CGHS centre at Silchar will provide healthcare services to serving and retired central government employees residing not only in Silchar but the neighboring districts of Karimganj and Hailakandi and the Barak Valley,” said Mandaviya.

It is important to note that despite Silchar being one of the major cities in Barak Valley, beneficiaries had to travel more than 180 km to avail of CGHS facilities from Aizawl or 208 km to Shillong. The new wellness centre aims to cater to the medical needs of several thousands of beneficiaries and would mitigate their hardships, as they will not be required to travel to such far away places now.

The wellness centre will provide outpatient services including medicines, referral for investigations as well as indoor treatment at government and empanelled hospitals. Cashless facilities for treatment will be provided in empanelled hospitals.

India has taken several steps to boost the health infrastructures in the country. The Central government has approved Rs. 64,000 crore under Prime Minister- Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), Rs. 15,000 crore under Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package (ECRP-I) and ₹23,000 crore under ECRP-II have been approved for strengthening health infrastructure in the states. LiveMint