FARISHTEY SCHEME: HEALTH MINISTER DR BALBIR SINGH EXHORTS PVT HOSPITALS TO JOIN HANDS WITH GOVT TO SAVE PRECIOUS LIVES

Ahead of the launch of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s much ambitious ‘Farishtey Scheme’ under which free treatment to be provided to all road accident victims, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Monday gave a clarion call to all the private hospitals to register themselves for this scheme to save the precious lives of people met with road accidents.

“We want to make maximum use of the ‘Golden Hour’ to save precious lives of road accident victims, and without discrimination based on nationality, caste, or socio-economic status, the Punjab Government will ensure free treatment of all the road accident victims at nearby hospitals including private hospitals,” he said.

Pertinently, the golden hour is the first crucial hour after a road accident, during which time if a seriously injured person is given critical care, their chances of survival increase highly.

Emphasising the need for support from private healthcare institutions, Dr Balbir Singh urged hospitals across the state, particularly those providing tertiary and secondary care, to join the scheme to save precious lives. Empanelled hospitals will be compensated according to the HBP 2.2 package rates defined by the National Health Authority, he said. The State Health Agency has identified 52 packages to cover the treatment of roadside victims.

Notably, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab has already extended support to this noble cause by becoming part of the scheme. The Health Minister encouraged remaining hospitals to come forward and get registered under the scheme, advising them to contact their respective district Civil Surgeons for any registration-related queries.

“Till now, 384 hospitals in the state have got themselves registered under the Farishtey Scheme, with 146 being public hospitals and 238 private hospitals,” said Dr Balbir Singh.

Divulging more details about the forthcoming flagship Farishtey Scheme, the Health Minister said that anyone taking the road accident victim to the hospital for treatment would be honoured and rewarded with Rs 2000. There will be no questioning by police or hospital authorities from the person, who brought the road accident victim to the hospital, until and unless he himself wants to become an eye witness.

Meanwhile, the scheme aligns with the directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court issued in various cases, urging the public to bring accident victims to the nearest government or empanelled private hospitals.