ESIC draws plan to cover 100 mn formal sector workers under 'Vision 2022'

State health insurer Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has given its in-principal approval to cover 100 mn formal sector workers under its programme "Vision 2022" that envisages expansion of ESI scheme to every district of the country.

The decision was taken at its 173rd meeting held on February 16, 2018 under the Chairmanship of Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar, a labour ministry statement said today.

At present, the ESIC covers around 3 crore formal sector employees in the country, with a total beneficiaries of over 12 crore under its health insurance scheme.

According to the statement, the "ESIC Vision 2022" was approved in-principal during the meeting. The vision envisages expansion of ESI Scheme in each district of the country with a target of covering 100 mn workers by 2022.

The modalities and the course for achieving the target were deliberated upon in the meeting. In this regard, the decision to form a sub-committee for fine-tuning and for active participation of other stakeholders has also been taken, it added.

To strengthen medical care services in Uttar Pradesh, the decision of taking over of ESI Hospital, Bareilly (earlier administered by state government) by the ESIC was taken.

Besides, the ESIC also approved the proposal for setting up of its Super Specialty Hospital at Bhubneshwar and sanctioned a 100-bed ESI Hospital in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh.

The ESIC further decided for continuation of 50-bed ESIC Model Hospital at Phulwarisharif, Patna upgradable to 100 beds. In its earlier meeting, the ESIC already approved starting of 100-bed medical facilities/hospital at Bihta and Patna, Bihar.

The decision for establishing Modified Employers' Utilisation Dispensary (modified EUD) on pilot basis was also taken in the meeting, with the objective of strengthening of stake holders participation in the expansion of primary care services of the ESIC.

In order to improve the delivery of health care services and ensuring proper use of resources available in the ESIC hospitals, decision of establishing vigilance inspection unit in the ESIC hospitals was taken, it added.