Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Labour & Employment, Steel and Mines has said that the welfare of insured persons and their family members will be central to any decision making by the ESIC. He was speaking at the 162nd Meeting of ESI Corporation in New Delhi today. The Corporation also approved a pilot project to be taken up in three States initially, in order to give wider access to the Labour force in the country. This will facilitate the beneficiaries to have health care facilities in general health system of the States. A wider access of health care facilities will be ensured through initiatives for larger number of people in the country.
The Minister informed that the Corporation has decided to set up State Executive Committees to further improve the condition of the dispensaries at lowest level. He also instructed the ESIC to conduct large scale inspections by the Members of the Corporation and other officers to have a first hand status report of ESIC Hospitals as well as the ESI Hospitals run by the State Govts. They should give a report to the Corporation for taking measures to improve secondary medical care of ESI Scheme.
Narendra Singh Tomar released a Poster on the ‘Vision and Mission of ESIC’ on the occasion.The Members of ESI Corporation belonging to various Trade Unions, Employers Federations and Medical profession present during the Meeting welcomed the new Chairman and LEM as well as the new MOS, L&E. The agenda related to consideration of recommendations of the Sub-Committee on ‘Medical Services and Medical Education’; policy with regard to giving wider access to the labour workforce in the larger health care system and optimum utilization of ESI Hospitals. Policy for occupational diseases centres; policy for purchase of medicine and quality testing, etc. were also discussed and important policy decisions were taken.The ESI Corporation has approved the recommendations of the Sub Committee on Medical Services and Medical Education, providing for improvements in the medical services of ESI Scheme for the benefit of the IPs and their family members. The major recommendations for improvement included –
1.The Insurance Medical Practitioners (IMP) system of providing medical facility to the beneficiaries will be strengthened by enhancing package remuneration to the IMPs, empowering them to provide for basic pathological investigations, permitting them to issue specified medicine to the beneficiaries to be supplied by the nearest ESIS Dispensary. The IMP system will be further strengthened with the utilization of data related to mobile phones of beneficiaries, call centre, SMS alert and IT technologies.2. The Dispensary timing would be increased in dispensaries where Daily average attendance is higher. Such dispensaries will maintain uniform timing of 7.30 AM to 7.30 PM. The bigger dispensaries will also be upgraded to have facility for carrying out minimum and essential investigations like blood sugar, urine test, ECG etc.
3.A State Executive Committee will be constituted in every State which will have delegated powers to improve the medical infrastructure at primary level. It will have powers upto Rs.50 lakhs for executing special repair works. Such State executive committee will also monitor the functioning of IMPs, will have a periodic review of the reports of the Local Committees and may carry out independent inspections of ESI medical facilities. This State Executive Committee will have powers of upto Rs.3 crore for special repair of 200 bedded ESI hospitals and upto Rs.5 crores for special repair of ESI hospitals with more than 200 beds.
The Corporation also approved the increase in the ceiling on medical expenditure being re-imbursed to the State Govts. from Rs. 1500/- per insured person family per annum to Rs.2000/- per annum. To ensure good quality and regular supply of Drugs & Dressings to its beneficiaries of ESI Scheme, ESIC has modified the conditions of quality control by approving for a provision of more strict & larger sample testing of medicine and drugs supplied. This will further strengthen the quality control over the supply of medicine and drugs in the ESI medical institutions. Based on the experience of the pilot project, it will be replicated throughout the country.The Corporation also approved a pilot project for taking up periodical health check up of insured persons who are above 50 years of age with certain conditions, at three ESIC Hospitals initially. The Corporation has also revised the memorandum of understanding with the State Govts., for ensuring joint responsibility of ESIC and States with a view to improve the quality of health care under the ESI Scheme.