There is great news for the people of Maharashtra. Free treatment will be done in all government hospitals run by the health department of the state government. This decision has been taken unanimously in the state cabinet meeting held on Thursday. This decision of the government will benefit the needy people. State Health Minister Professor Dr. Tanaji Sawant told that free treatment will be made available to all from August 15. He said that everyone has the right to lead a healthy life under Article 21 of the Constitution of the country. Under the same, the State Public Health Department had presented a proposal for free treatment before the cabinet, which has been approved by the cabinet.
All State Government Primary Health Centers, Rural Hospitals, Government Maternity Homes, District General Hospitals, Sub District Hospitals, Referral Service Hospitals, State Government Super Specialty Hospitals established at Nashik and Amravati, and Government Cancer Hospitals are covered under this scheme. According to the Health Minister, at present about 2 crore 55 lakh citizens come for treatment in the state in a year including all the government hospitals. There are a total of 2418 state government hospitals across the state.
The municipal hospital not included
The Health Minister said that people have to stand in queues for making case papers etc. in the OPD of government hospitals, due to which treatment gets delayed. Although, 71 crore rupees are deposited in the coffers of the government every year, but now from the primary health center to the district hospital, there will be no expenditure from paper expenses to operations. The Health Minister made it clear that this scheme is of the Health Department of the State Government, so it will be applicable only in the hospitals of the State Government. Will not be applicable in hospitals run by Municipal Corporations.
100 to 150 crore rupees will be spent annually
The Health Minister said that the annual budget of the Health Department is 12 to 13 thousand crores. 100 to 150 crore rupees will be spent annually on this scheme of free treatment.