Himcare scheme to continue: Himachal Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 20

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today assured the Assembly that the state government did not intend to discontinue the Mukhya Mantri Himachal Health Care (Himcare) scheme.

Pet scan machines at igmc, tanda soon

For the convenience of cancer patients, PET and CEPECT scan machines will soon be installed in the IGMC, Shimla, and Tanda medical college. These machines will also be installed in other medical colleges in a phased manner. Mukesh Agnihotri, Deputy CM

Agnihotri, while taking part in the two-day discussion on a resolution brought by Sullah MLA Vipin Parmar under Rule 130 on rising number of serious diseases in the state, said that the government had paid Rs 250 crore under the Himcare scheme this year while the previous BJP government had paid Rs 100 crore under the scheme last year. He added that the government was making efforts to clear the pending bills under the Himcare scheme soon.

On the issue of the reinstatement of outsourced employees hired during the Covid period, Agnihotri said that the matter was under the consideration of the government. “The Central Government used to provide 90 per cent funds under the health schemes but the grants are no longer available. However, we are still trying to find ways to run the schemes,” he added.

The discussion lasted for four hours and 37 minutes over two days and 13 BJP MLAs and eight Congress members participated in it. Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, while participating in the discussion, said that the government had decided to immediately employ doctors on contract to fill vacant posts of super specialist doctor in all other medical colleges, including the IGMC, Shimla, and at Tanda. A notification had been issued.

Agnihotri said, “For the convenience of cancer patients, PET and CEPECT scan machines will soon be installed in the IGMC, Shimla, and Tanda medical college. These machines will also be installed in other medical colleges in a phased manner. The government has started super specialty courses in medical colleges and increased 15 seats of super specialist doctor. Specialists will soon be deployed in 69 model health institutions to be built in the state.” He added that of total 33,199 beneficiaries of the Sahara Yojana, the certificates of 20,200 had not been uploaded. Once all certificates were uploaded, the arrears would be paid to them.

The Health Minister said, “As many as 200 posts of doctor and 700 posts of nurse will be filled soon. Hemophilia injections will be administered in all medical colleges.” However, the BJP MLAs were not satisfied with the Health Minister’s reply to their questions on health facilities. Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said, “Since the Congress formed government in the state, Rs 200 crore payments of private hospitals under the Himcare and Ayushman Bharat schemes are pending. Common people are not getting the benefits of these schemes. Several people have not got money under the Sahara Yojana for some time. Covid Warriors were not paid for nine months and were later sacked.”

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