Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday launched ‘ Innuyir Kaapoom-Nammai Kaakkum 48’ through which the State government will bear the expenses of emergency care for accident victims for the first 48 hours.
Rolling out the scheme at Chengalpattu, Mr. Stalin said the government was paying special attention to reducing road accidents, preventing fatalities and improving road safety. The scheme was aimed at reducing deaths due to road accidents.
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A total of 609 hospitals — 201 government hospitals and 408 private hospitals — were linked to the scheme. All persons injured in road accidents — whether they are covered or not under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Heath Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), or even those who belong to other States or countries — that occur in Tamil Nadu limits would receive treatment for the first 48 hours free of charge. As many as 81 treatment packages were identified for accident victims in the hospitals where they were admitted for the first 48 hours with a ceiling of ₹1 lakh per individual.
If the victims were unstable or required continuous treatment after 48 hours, three guidelines were drafted — coverage under the CMCHIS if they are a beneficiary and if the treatment was covered under the scheme, if not, they would be stabilised and shifted to a government hospital. If the victim is not willing to get treated in a government hospital or prefers treatment under private insurance cover or paying for treatment, the patient can be stabilised and treated at the same hospital or whichever hospital they preferred, said an official release.
Noting that time played a crucial role in saving lives, Mr. Stalin said road accident victims could be saved if admitted to hospital immediately, while delay resulted in deaths. This was why doctors stressed that golden hour was important.
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One of the key highlights of the scheme was that the government would bear the emergency treatment expenses for the first 48 hours in private hospitals, he said, adding that majority of the lives could be saved if treated appropriately within 48 hours. Following this, the injured would be covered under the CMCHIS. The required surgeries and intensive care would be covered under the scheme, he said.
Stating that most of the life-saving emergency treatments should be undertaken in the first 48 hours, he pointed out that it was said many private hospitals showed hesitancy in providing emergency treatment. As a result, though private hospitals were located nearby, accident victims were taken to government hospitals located at a distance many times, leading to delay in emergency care. This scheme was launched to solve such issues, he said.
Over-speeding was the main cause of accidents. Two-wheeler riders should wear helmets, he said.
The Chief Minister noted that the cost of bikes was on a par with cars today, while some bikes were priced higher than cars. Not all could ride these bikes and required training and skills, he observed. He urged parents to be careful while purchasing vehicles for their children. He urged those travelling in cars to wear seat belts and avoid over-speeding. He emphasised the need to obey traffic rules and said adherence showed an individual’s discipline.
The district-wise list of empanelled hospitals under the scheme was published on the website https://cmchistn.com. Frther information can be obtained from the State’s health helpline 104.