Important decisions of ESIC

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) during its 174th meeting held recently under the Chairmanship of Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Labour & Employment (Independent Charge), Govt. of India has taken some very important decisions towards improvements in its service delivery mechanism. The other dignitaries participating in the meeting were Heera Lal Samariya, IAS, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Govt. of India, Raj Kumar, IAS, Director General, ESIC, Additional Secretary, Sh. Manish Kumar Gupta, IAS, Jt. Secretary and Mrs Sandhya Shukla, IA & AS, Financial Commissioner, ESIC, Hon’ble ESI Corporation Members representing  Members of Parliament, Employees’  & Employers’  Federation/Association  representatives of State Governments and officers of MoL&E  & ESIC. Following important decisions were taken during the Meeting: Opening of Dispensary cum Branch Office in all the districts of the country : To strengthen medical services in all the districts of the country, the decision for opening of one ESIC Dispensary cum Branch Office (DCBO) in every district of the country was taken in the meeting. The DCBO will provide primary medical care, referrals for secondary medical care, scrutiny of bills of secondary care referrals, etc. besides distribution of drugs to Modified Employer Utilization Dispensary, IMPs in the district, payment of cash benefits, survey work for coverage in the district. The ESIC will bear the establishment and operational cost of DCBO, without sharing, in the similar manner of expenditure of ESIC Hospitals.Nursing Internship Program in ESIC Hospitals : During the meeting, the decision for starting a Nursing Internship program in ESIC Hospitals was taken. The program would be open to duly registered fresh graudate Nurses who are looking to hone their skill in real work setting under supervision of regular staff.  ESIC would offer practical work experience to graduate Nursing pass outs, focusing on application of Nursing theory and knowledge to actual Nursing tasks in medical settings.  A stipend (consolidated) of Rs.22,000/- could be provided for duration of the internship.  The selection would be based on  merit and no. of positions for internship could be around 20% of the sanctioned strength of Staff Nurses for the ESIC  hospital.  Modified Insurance Medical Practitioner (IMP) Scheme, 2018 : ESI Corporation has given in principal approval to Modified Insurance Medical Practitioner (IMP) Scheme, 2018 to make IMP Scheme more attractive on pilot basis.  This Scheme may further be expanded in the new areas as well as existing areas as per need. In an area, where ESI does not have its medical establishment,  or in newly implemented area, Primary Medical Care is provided cash less through tie up arrangement, with Insurance Medical Practitioner (IMP).  ESIC shall utilize the services of private practitioners (as IMPs) for delivery of primary care services (except for  lab tests & medicines) to IPS.   Construction & upgradation of ESIC Hospitals and developing  of Super Specialty Treatment : To strengthen medical care services,  approval of Hon’ble LEM and Chairman, ESIC for 100 bedded ESI Hospital in Bahadurgarh, Haryana;  50 bedded additional facilities for Super Speciality treatment at ESIC Hospital, Varanasi, UP;  and starting of 100 beds medical facilities in ESIC Medical Hospital,  Bihta, Patna, Bihar were reported upon in the meeting. Besides this, the   proposal for upgradation of existing ESIC Hospital at Bibvewadi, Pune from 50 to 200 beds  (upgradable to 500 beds) and  enhancement of bed strength of ESIC Hospital, Namkum, Ranchi from 75 to 200 beds and construction thereby of   200 bedded ESIC Hospital at Ranchi, Jharkhand were approved. Further about 20 other Agenda Items pertaining to improvement in services/benefits to Insured Persons and other administrative matters were deliberated upon and approved during the meeting.