ESIC takes Major Policy Initiatives for better Medical Services to Workers

NEW DELHI: Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) during its 183rd Meeting held on Monday under the chairmanship of Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Labour & Employment (I/C) has taken several significant decisions to improve its delivery of medical services and other benefits to workers.

Medical services to the insured workers and their dependants under the ESI Scheme are provided primarily through hospitals and dispensaries run by the State Governments.  There are, at present, around 1520 ESI dispensaries and 159 hospitals across the country, out of which 45 dispensaries and 49 hospitals are directly run by ESIC while remaining dispensaries and hospitals are run by the respective State Governments.  Several representatives have been received about deficient services in ESI hospitals run by State Governments due to poor availability of equipment and doctors.

In view of demand from both workers and employees and with the objective to provide better medical services to beneficiaries, ESI Corporation had decided to directly run by itself all newly constructed hospitals and those that are approved in future unless the State Government insists to run the hospital.

ESIC will engage Hospital Managers with specialisation in hospital management or hospital administration or health care administration for maintenance, housekeeping, patient assistance, patient safety and other ancillary activities in ESIC hospitals across the country.

ESIC will also engage the services of project management consultant for monitoring and facilitating execution of hospital and dispensary construction projects of ESIC from the stage of concept plan to the commissioning of the project.