Pensioners health insurance scheme soon in Puducherry

: The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services today said it would soon roll out a Pensioners Health Insurance scheme for retired government staff.
Dr K V Raman, Director, said the directorate was now working out modalities of the insurance scheme for retired staff. This category of people could neither be accommodated under Below Poverty Line scheme or under any other scheme, he said.
He said talks are on with insurance companies to implement the scheme and part of the pension of beneficiaries would be used as premium for the health insurance policy.
Dr Raman was addressing an open session to enlist the suggestions of public here

He said the directorate would also bring out smart cards for each patient getting treated at the hospitals so that they could have full details of the medical care and the institutions they could approach for follow up check up.
The Director said the Centre's ban order on recruitment of staff for some years now had led to shortage of doctors in crucial wings in hospitals.

He said only one nephrologist was available with the department for the entire Union Territory and so technicians were being trained on various nuances of dialysis and other treatment methods to ensure that patients did not suffer.

He said Puducherry had been declared polio free since 1999 and that the infant mortality rate was lowest in the UT.
Dr Raman said his department was collaborating with the Education Department to generate awareness among children on cleanliness.