ECHS to soon benefit commoners in remote areas of Kashmir

The Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) for retired armed forces personnel will soon benefit people living in remote areas and those regions where empanelled medical facilities are inadequate or not existent in Kashmir valley.

As of now over 2,000 hospitals are empanelled pan India. So, empanelling of hospitals with ECHS will be in a continuous process where the hospitals apply to ECHS through Regional Centres (RCs) with specified documents.

The documents will be scrutinised by Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) and Central organisation ECHS. These hospitals will further carryout inspection of these hospitals on behalf of ECHS so as to maintain high standards of medicare.

In the recently conducted, Smart City Mission (SCM), the endeavour has been to take ECHS benefits to the remote areas and those regions where empanelled medical facilities are inadequate or not existent.

Meanwhile, SCM has also approved 123 hospitals out of which 123 come under empanelled facilities, 68 are hospitals, 27 eye centres, 12 dental clinics and 16 Labs/Imaging/Diagnostic centres.

ECHS commenced in 2003 with an aim to provide comprehensive health care to all ESM and their families on cashless basis through a network of Polyclinics, Service Hospitals and private or government empanelled hospitals.

To achieve this goal, various private and govt hospitals have been empanelled over a period of time.