The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi government to streamline the process for people from the economically weaker sections (EWS) to help them avail medical facilities under various health welfare schemes.
In an order dated September 20, a Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula constituted a seven-member committee headed by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to iron out the problems in the current system.
The Bench also said the process for availing free treatment as well as surgeries for implants/devices must be streamlined and ordered that a single-window mechanism with designated nodal officers be set up at each hospital in Delhi.
The order came after advocate T. Singhdev, appointed amicus curiae in the case, pointed out that the process of securing financial assistance under the Delhi Arogya Kosh scheme is “extremely troublesome for patients”. He said they have to run from pillar to post to obtain various certificates from authorities even before they may submit their application to the Patient Welfare Cell of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The DGHS has formulated Delhi Arogya Kosh and Delhi Arogya Nidhi schemes to provide financial assistance to for treatment at government hospitals. These initiatives are complemented by ancillary programmes aimed at providing medical services. Similarly, the Central government has launched schemes like the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi and the Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant.
“Nonetheless, we have been apprised of the constraints faced by individuals from EWS when attempting to avail benefits of the scheme,” the Bench observed.
“These constraints manifest at various stages: during treatment, submission of applications for financial assistance, procurement of quotations concerning implants, procedure for disbursing amounts, and finally, while undergoing medical procedures including surgeries,” it added.
The court said the procedure for securing financial assistance under different schemes must be made less cumbersome so that the public could comprehend it with little assistance, and instructions must be displayed prominently and clearly in language they are able to understand. “The hospital must become patient-friendly and accessible to the society at large,” it said.
Besides the Chief Secretary, the seven-member committee will comprise members nominated by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Principal Secretary of the Delhi government, Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the National Informatics Centre, the order read.
