Cash awards for those who help persons injured in road traffic accidents, introduction of first responders on two-wheelers to quickly access narrow streets and outsourcing of 108 ambulance services are among the measures proposed in the Budget for 2019-20, which has placed additional emphasis on trauma management.
The Budget, presented by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy in the Assembly on Wednesday, has proposed a cash reward of ₹5,000 for those who help accident casualties reach hospital. Necessary guidelines under this scheme will be notified soon.
The Government will introduce first responder vehicles manned by persons with emergency medical training and equipped with mobile data terminal/GPS devices to reach narrow streets of congested areas within the shorted possible time to render immediate medical assistance.
Apart from outsourcing 108 ambulance services, the Government also plans to upgrade the Multiple Organ Transplantation and Trauma Care Centre at the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute.
A new scheme to provide regular medical assistance to diabetic patients by collecting health data of the patient through mobile phones will also be implemented at Indira Gandhi hospital. Meanwhile, the Medical Council of India has given approval to start PG courses in two more departments—four seats in microbiology and two in anatomy—from 2019-20.
₹7.17 crore has been earmarked for providing MRI scan services, which will become operational soon. The Government has committed ₹85 crore towards acquisition of land for construction of the Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children Hospital as per an order of the Supreme Court. Necessary provision has been made in the Budget, Mr. Narayanasamy said. A comprehensive Health Information Management System is mooted to ensure delivery of health care to the people, the Budget said.
Ayushman Bharath
The Prime Minister’s Ayushman Bharath scheme will be rolled out in the UT from September 1. The scheme targets extending insurance coverage of upto ₹5 lakh to 1,03,474 families and will be expanded across the UT.
All 40 PHCs and 81 Sub Centres in the UT are being upgraded as Health Wellness Centres under Central assistance of ₹13.13 crore. As part of this, the Health Wellness Centre has been launched by upgrading the sub centre at Koravallimedu.
These centres, with an in-house doctor and nurse, will house health check-up facilities for rural patients. Telemedicine links will be established with the General Hospital in Puducherry to make expert consultation available to the rural patients.
Considering the increase in incidence of non-communicable diseases due to the poor lifestyles, facilities are being expanded at the Lifestyle Modification Centre at the Old Secretariat Building opposite Bharathi Park. The centre will have a yoga hall, auditorium and health food court for which necessary facilities will be created in 2019-10. Yoga and Naturopathy centres have also been built with the assistance from the National AYUSH Mission.
Renovation in Karaikal
Apart from implementing e-health initiative in a phased manner, it is proposed to take up renovation of the General Hospital in Karaikal this year. The General Hospitals in Karaikal and Yanam have already been linked via telemedicine to the JIPMER to provide facilities such as live medical consultation.
A 50-bedded AYUSH hospital at Karaikal is under consideration. A detailed project report in thsi regard is proposed to be sent to the Centre.
