To make-realize the dream of a healthy and developed society emphasis are being laid on ensuring quality healthcare on equitable, accessible and affordable basis throughout the State by creating infrastructure with all requisite facilities. Concerted efforts and initiatives are being taken in a systematic manner at all levels. Stress is being laid on equitable child health, care and early detection and treatment which is considered as the most pragmatic initiative or rather solution, at this juncture.
A provision has been made by the government to provide free of cost services under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram (RBSK) including surgeries at tertiary level of the children diagnosed with Defects at birth, severe Diseases, Deficiencies and Developmental Delays including Disabilities. Special fund has been made available under RBSY and to medical colleges as well as district hospitals in this regard. All children up to 12th class and studying in government schools other than children of serving or retired State/Centre Government employees or employees of the State/ Central PSUs would be covered under the programme.
Eight categories of defects at birth, thirteen diseases of childhood, six deficiencies and eleven development delays and disabilities are to be covered under the programme. The entire cost of secondary/ tertiary care treatment for such diseases would be met free of cost in Indira Gandhi Medical Collage, Shimla or at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda. In case treatment is taken at an empanelled private institution within or outside the state the cost would be reimbursed as per rates admissible under government employee reimbursement scheme.
In case of cancer treatment, the cost will be covered under the Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) Programme or under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi.
Rashtriya Swathya Bima Yojana (RSBY Plus i.e. Critical Care) is second major initiative taken by the State Government. It provides cashless benefits of Rs. 1,75,000/- exclusively for treatment of Cardiac and Cardiothoracic Surgeries, Genito Urinary Surgery, Neurosurgery, Radiation Oncology, Trauma, Transplant Surgeries, Spinal Surgeries, Surgical Gastroenterology, Hemophilia and Cancer for all the Smart Card holders. At present IGMC Shimla, Dr. RPGMC Kangra at Tanda and PGI Chandigarh has been empanelled for RSBY Plus.
Other than BPL families, MGNRGS Workers, Street Vendors, Building & Other Construction Workers and Persons with more than 70% disability have been included under the scheme w.e.f from 1st January, 2013. It is expected that an estimated 3.8 lakh families can benefit under the RSBY Plus scheme.
The Non Communicable Disease Programme and Rashtriya Aarogya Nidhi would be harnessed to support critical care in case of illnesses like cancer and cardiovascular ailments. There is a provision of rupees one lakh for BPL families under the scheme at tertiary care institutions viz. IGMC, Shimla and RPGMC, Tanda.
The government is also seeking to upgrade the super specialty services in both the Medical Colleges in a major way. A new block for the Regional Cancer Care Centre at IGMC, Shimla is planned at a cost of Rs 10 crores. Linear Accelerator and Brachytherapy equipment is being provided to IGMC at a total cost of Rs 10 crores for providing state of art cancer diagnostic services.
An Advanced Trauma Centre and Renal Unit with facilities for dialysis & kidney transplantation will soon be established in Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla and are also proposed for least three district hospitals during the current year. A new Super Specialty Block is likely to become functional at RPGMC, Tanda this year. The block will provide facilities for Radiotherapy & Oncology, Gastroenterology, Cardiology, Cardio-Thoracic Surgery and Neurosurgery.
