Private hospitals provide free health benefits to weavers
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 26 2011:
Two private hospitals in the state have started providing free health services to the weavers under the Health Insurance Scheme of the Central government.
According to reliable sources from the Department of Commerce and Industries, GoM, the Health Insurance scheme for the weavers of the state is being initiated with the co operation from the ICICI Lombard.
The weavers who have been issued the smart card by ICICI are provided free medical treatment in Shija Hospital and Raj Poly Clinic in Imphal.
Those who are not registered under this scheme and who have not received the smart card issued by ICICI are not entitled to get the medical benefit.
Those weavers who are covered by the insurance are given the benefit of getting free treatment upto an amount of Rs 15,000 per year.
Under this scheme the State government contributes 10% share and the central government shares the remaining 90% .
The scheme was primarily incorporated to make the weavers community live a healthy life.
It not only covers the health services of the weavers but also of their family members.
For the financial year 2010-11, among the 38,790 weavers registered under the scheme, 337 of them have claimed their health insurance for which an amount of Rs 16.93 lakhs have been spent.
Even though the Central government has targeted a population of 45,000 weavers to be given benefit under the Health Insurance Scheme, the Department of Commerce and Industries, GoM has set a target to cover 50,000 weavers of the state.
Medical camp: A team of medical officer and paramedical staff of 22 Grenadiers of 26 Sector under HQ IGAR (S) organized a medical camp at Phaisanjang village of Chandel district yesterday.
More than 150 patients from Phaisanjang and nearby villages were diagnosed and provided medicines free of cost during the medical camp, according to a statement issued by PRO Assam Rifles.
At the occasion, an interactive session was also organized with the villagers and they were educated about various diseases including AIDS, Dental problems, malaria and pre-cautionary measures to overcome such diseases in future, the statement added.