Kerala mulls to windup free treatment schemes
Synopsis
Debt under Karunya scheme amounts to ₹854.65 crore State government has to pay pay ₹192. 33 crore to private hospitals and ₹662.32 crore to government hospitals Only ₹925 crore was allotted for medical aid announced under various schemes
A mounting debt crisis has forced Kerala government to stop nine benevolent schemes, aimed at providing free treatment to people. This includes projects like Karunya and Sukrutham, the most prestigious projects of UDF government.
The government had decided to stop the projects after incurring debts amounting to several crores. It has incurred a debt of ₹900 crores under various benevolent schemes. It is reported that the LDF government plans to introduce new insurance schemes instead of debt-ridden projects.
The debt under Karunya scheme alone amounts to ₹854.65 crore while the government has to pay ₹18 crore under Sukrutham scheme. However, only ₹925 crore was allocated for medical aids announced under various projects of which only ₹14 crore remains with exchequer.
The state government has to pay ₹192. 33 crore to private hospitals and ₹662.32 crore to government hospitals for providing treatment to people under various benevolent schemes.
An amount of ₹18 crore is to paid to hospitals under Sukrutham scheme, which guarantees free treatment for cancer patients. However, authorities have no explanation on how they will pay off the debts.
Meanwhile, state Minister for Health is of the opinion that stopping such schemes will not affect free treatment provided to patients.
Under the schemes, eligible persons used to get financial help for treatment of diseases like cancer, brain and liver surgeries, heart ailments, kidney diseases, dialysis, peritoneal dialysis, etc.