Scheme facility denial slur cast against medical centre
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 04 2012: Inspite of Rashtriya Swathya Bima Yojna (RSBY) guidelines making it mandatory for select medical centres to extend relevant be"nefits to smart card holders of the RSBY scheme the benefits have allegedly not been provided to a patient admitted to Raj Polyclinic, north AOC.

Speaking to newspersons at the Top Awang Leikai residence of Top Dusara Gram Panchayat pradhan Th Gomti Devi today, Sanjenbam (O) Gambhini of the same locality claimed that Raj Polyclinic management denied RSBY benefits when her husband namely Sanjenbam Ibomcha was admitted for treatment at the medical centre in July this year.

Even though the Polyclinic authorities allowed Ibomcha to have treatment facility free of cost at the out-patient department (OPD) by virtue of possessing RSBY smart card, further requirement for blood infusion was refused by the doctor in attendance insisting that the patient will have to bear the cost for procuring blood as RSBY scheme do not cover such a benefit, Gam"bhini narrated while contending that RSBY smart card holders are entitled to free of cost treatment under the scheme.

Even though Ibomcha underwent further treatment at JNIMS with the family borrowing Rs 20,000 there is no sign of recuperation, she added.

When contacted Manipur State RSBY Society officials said that besides Raj Polyclinic, Langol View Charitable Clinic and Maternity Home (RIMS Gate) and Shija Hospitals and Research Institute, Langol are bound by RSBY scheme and any patient possessing RSBY smart card can avail all relevant treatment facilities.

Apart from the smart card holders atleast five family members are also entitled to similar benefits, affirmed the officials.

The other allegation against the North AOC medical institution is its management citing breakdown of smart card insertion machine and subsequent denial of benefits to the patients.

Joining the media briefing, one Thingbaijam (O) Ranjana Devi of Top Awang Leikai said she went to Raj Polyclinic on November 25 in connection with womb infection but the receptionist refused to entertain her insisting that the medical centre is not covered by RSBY scheme.

Ranjana reportedly consulted a local NGO member of RSBY smart card issuing agency and with an NGO member identified as Athokpam Nabakumar returned to Raj Polyclinic only to be told that the smart card insertion machine is not working and thus the scheme facility could not be provided.

Nabakumar, who was also present at the media briefing informed that RSBY scheme was specifically launched under the National Health Insurance Scheme for families belonging to below poverty line category.

He also regretted that medical centres not adhering to the RSBY scheme guidelines amount to belittling the noble programme.

Meanwhile, an official of Manipur State RSBY Society assured that an inquiry would be launched to ascertain veracity of the Raj Polyclinic claim that the smart card machine had a technical failure.

The official further assured that all possible measures would be initiated to ensure RSBY smart card holders get all relevant benefits.

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