Question : Free Medical Care to Poor Patients

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government provides/ proposes to provide free/affordable medical care/treatment to the people living below poverty line in the country through private and Government hospitals;

(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the norms, overall structure and targets of the aforesaid scheme along with the number of beneficiaries covered thereunder during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and

(c) the number of cases reported where the private hospitals refused to provide free/affordable treatment to the poor patients and the action taken by the Government against the erring private hospitals during the said period, State/ UT-wise?

(a) & (b): Health is a State subject and it is the responsibility of the State Government to provide adequate and affordable health care and hospital facility to all the people. As far as three Central Government hospitals in Delhi, namely Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals are concerned, treatment is provided free of cost to all those who visit these hospitals irrespective of their economic status. Even specialized investigations are also done free of cost for below poverty line patients.As far as JIPMER, Puducherry is concerned, it is providing free care to 98.5% of its patients. All medicines, surgery, diagnostic tests, cancer treatment etc., are given free. As far as AIIMS, New Delhi is concerned. In causality, all life saving drugs and emergency drugs are provided to all patients free of cost. BPL card Holder Inpatients are provided all the medicines and consumables free of cost. As far as PGIMER, Chandigarh is concerned, free medical treatment in emergency/OPD and indoor is provided to BPL card holders.
(c) This information is not maintained centrally.