Arish Mujawar, Pune
The Maharashtra government has announced that all health services, including treatment, medical tests, and other services provided by public-private partnerships, will be free of cost for patients at all government hospitals under the public health department’s jurisdiction. The decision was implemented on August 5, according to a government resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday.
The state cabinet approved the proposal to provide free health services at all government hospitals in Maharashtra in its meeting on August 3. The scheme will cover 2,418 hospitals and medical center centers by the state government, officials said. More than 25.5 million people avail themselves of treatment in these facilities, they said.
The GR said that the free services will not include blood supply, which will be charged as per the existing rates. The GR also said that the patients will have to pay for medicines and consumables that are not available in the hospital’s stock.
The state government said that the scheme will benefit the poor and needy who cannot afford the treatment costs at private hospitals. The scheme will also reduce the burden on the state exchequer, as the government will not have to reimburse the bills of patients who are referred to private hospitals under various schemes, the GR said.