MoU with 6 private hospitals for treatment of poor

The state government today signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with six private hospitals based outside of the state to be included in its list of referral hospitals for treatment of poor.

These hospitals are Care Hospital, Apollo Hospital, SevenHills Hospital of Vishakhapatnam and Escort Heart Centre, Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital and Ramkrishna Care Hospital in Raipur.

"This will greatly benefit the people of our state, and more particularly the people of KBK districts because of their proximity to Visakhapatnam and Raipur," said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during the MoU signing ceremony.

As per the agreement, these hospitals have been empaneled under the Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF) as referral hospitals. The government last month had signed agreements with 14 hospitals located within the state.

Under the OSTF, patients of below poverty line (BPL) families, patients with annual income of Rs 40,000 in rural areas and Rs 60,000 in urban areas can avail specialised treatment of diseases of lung, kidney and heart.

The plan provides assistance upto Rs.3 lakh for treatment and medicine cost. People signed under this scheme can avail medical assistance in all government hospitals as well as private hospitals empanelled as referral hospitals.

From its inception till 19 July, 2013, as many as 13,314 poor patients have been provided financial assistance to the tune of Rs.23 crore, the state government said in a release.