Don’t you have ‘health card’? Don’t worry. You’ll get treatment in private-govt. hospitals
Bengaluru, August 02: Saying that the government would issue universal health cards under the ‘Arogya Karnataka’ programme by 2019, Health Minister Shivanand Patil said that those who do not have health cards could also get treatment in both government and private hospital by producing ration card.
Speaking to reporters at the Vidhana Soudha here on Thursday, the Minister said that people need not worry about not having health cards. If they have ration cards, they could get treatment in government and private hospitals. Health card is mandatory for treatment. But there is no compulsion to get health cards. Under this programme, the treatment was being given based on APL and BPL card categories, he said.
The In-Patients were being given the health cards after giving them the treatment. There was no condition that people should have health cards before admitting into hospital. So, there was no need to stand in queues to get health cards, the Minister clarified.
Treatment even without health card
Treatment was given to more than 15,000 patients in private hospitals based on ration cards under this scheme. By August end, the distribution of health cards in 11 major general hospitals would be completed. In the first phase, 3 lakh cards were distributed. In taluk hospitals, registration of patients and distribution of cards would be commenced in October. There was a plan to merge Ayushman Bharat of the Central government and Arogya Karnataka scheme of the state government and introduce a model healthcare programme in the state, he said.
It was planned to give healthcare facility to over 2 crore population including 62 lakh families under Ayushman Bharat scheme and 1.20 crore under Arogya Karnataka scheme, he said.
No scarcity of doctors
The government has solved the doctors problem in government hospitals. Doctors were available in all hospitals and specialist doctors were also appointed. The doctors who have been to higher education while in duty, have returned to their profession. So, there was no scarcity of doctors. In order to fill the specialist doctors in government hospitals, the government has started bid (auction) system. Out of 300 doctors participated in the bid, 200 doctors were working. Within a week, once again the private doctors would be invited for the bid, he said.
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Two women died, 6 taken ill after ‘consuming’ mango kernel gruel in Odisha
Bhubaneswar/Berhampur/Phulbani, Nov 1: At least two tribal women died and six others fell ill after allegedly consuming mango kernel gruel in Odisha's Kandhamal district, police said on Friday.
Consumption of mango kernel, prepared by boiling the seeds in water, was reported from Mandipanka village in the district's Daringbadi block, an officer said.
While one of the two women (Rasmita Pattamajhi aged 22) died on Thursday night at Mohana community health centre in Gajapati district where she was undergoing treatment after "consuming the gruel", another woman (Runu Majhi aged 29) breathed her last while being taken to MKCG Medical College Hospital in Berhampur, Gadapur sarpanch Kumari Mallick said.
Six others, who fell ill after allegedly consuming the gruel, were admitted to a hospital and their condition was critical, said Dr Subrat Das, a medical officer of the health facility.
"All the six have been admitted to the hospital in a serious condition. We suspected that they fell sick due to food poisoning. The exact cause of the illness will be ascertained after completion of the investigation," he added.
The six were identified as Pravati Patmajhi, Dranglu Patmajhi, Tuni Majhi, Susama Patmajhi, Jita Majhi and Jibanti Majhi, Daringbadi BDO Pritiranjan Ratha said.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has rejected allegations that tribal people have been consuming mango kernel gruel due to a lack of access to rice under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Rasmita's husband Anil Pattamajhi alleged that they were denied rice under PDS for the last three months because of which his wife consumed mango kernel.
However, Kandhamal district magistrate-cum-collector Amrit Ruturaj dismissed the allegations, saying the family received rice according to PDS norms. "We are awaiting the postmortem report to determine the facts," the collector added.
Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida, who is also in-charge of the women and child development department said, "It is not a case of malnutrition. Mango kernel is part of their (tribal) regular diet. Sometime, the mango kernels get contaminated and lead to such unfortunate incidents. We have been actively spreading awareness about the risks of food contamination."
Health and family welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling, who ordered a departmental inquiry into the death of two tribal women, said a team from the district headquarters hospital and another local team are at the spot to assess the situation and conduct a detailed probe into the incident.
Mahaling said that the government was waiting for the postmortem report for a confirmation on the cause of the deaths. "People in Kandhamal consume mango kernel. It is common in that region and there also have been reports of health complications linked to it in the past," he said.
The Kandhmal incident reminds a similar tragedy involving mango kernel deaths in Kashipur block of Rayagada district, where at least 20 people died in 2001, and two more succumbed to mango kernel consumption in 2016. Additionally, mango kernel has claimed lives in Laxmipur in Koraput district in 2012 and 2013, as well as in Jharigaon in Nabarangpur district in 2018.
