Providing health care facilities for ex-servicemen and their dependants belonging to Tiruchi and its neighbouring districts since December 2005, the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Polyclinic has shifted to its own building constructed on the defence land at Mannarpuram here.
Constructed at a cost of Rs. 52 lakh by the Military Engineer Services, the new building is equipped with x-ray, ECG, dental chair, investigation laboratory, pharmacy and medicine store facilities to cater to the medical needs of ex-servicemen and their dependants.
The Type ‘C’ Polyclinic has one medical specialist, couple of medical officers, and a dental officer besides paramedical staff to attend to patients.
The new building was inaugurated by Lieutenant General V.K. Pillai, General Officer Commanding, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala Area at a function held here on Thursday that was attended by Major General R.G. Krishnan, Chief of Staff, ATNK&K Area, Colonel G. George, Station Commander, Tiruchi, Colonel P. Jayaraman, Staff Officer, ECHS Cell, Lieutenant Colonel (retd) S. Mahalingam, Officer in Charge, ECHS Polyclinic, Tiruchi, ex-servicemen and their family members.
Hitherto, the polyclinic was functioning in a rented building at K.K. Nagar here. The polyclinic is providing health care facilities to approximately 20,000 ex-servicemen and their dependants of Tiruchi, Karur, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, and Perambalur districts since it started functioning on December 25, 2005 here.
The daily average patients’ clientele to the polyclinic is between 150 and 200 patients.
In a month, an average of 300 referrals were provided to needy patients for chronic and complicated diseases, including cancer and other ailments as per requirements. There are five empanelled hospitals in Tiruchi under the scheme.
Inaugurating the building, Lt. Gen. Pillai said the ECHS had met with success benefitting a large number of ex-servicemen and their dependants.
The scheme was a real privilege for the retired defence personnel as they were entitled to best hospitals under the comprehensive medical care scheme, he said.
Any misuse of the facility under the scheme would ultimately lead to its closure which would only be a bad blow for the ex-servicemen, Lt. Gen. Pillai said.
Terming the scheme successful, Lt. Gen. Pillai said there was a concerted drive to improve the health of ex-servicemen.
Improvements proposed
He said more improvements were proposed to be done at the ECHS Polyclinic in Tiruchi.
