ESIC to run hospital on its own for better delivery of medical facilities

Aiming at improving the delivery of medical services and providing other benefits to the workers, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has decided that all newly constructed hospitals belonging to The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and those approved in future would now be run by the Corporation itself unless the state government insists to run the hospital.

Besides, it has decided to extend relaxed benefits and enhanced allocational of 50% of average daily wage as unemployment benefits under the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana for six more months till June 30, 2021.

“In view of demand from both workers and employees and with the objective to provide better medical services to beneficiaries, ESI Corporation has decided to directly run by itself all newly constructed hospitals and those that are approved in future unless the state government insists on running the hospital,” labour ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

During its 183rd meeting held here on Sunday under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar, ESIC has decided to take several significant decisions to improve its delivery of medical services and other benefits to workers, the labour ministry said.

This has been done in view of demand from both workers and employees, and with the objective to provide better medical services to the beneficiaries, it said.

Currently, there are 1,520 ESI dispensaries and 159 hospitals across the country. Out of these, 45 dispensaries and 49 hospitals are directly run by ESIC, while the remaining hospitals are run by the respective state governments, it added.

Super speciality services in cardiology, nephrology, urology and oncology will also be strengthened in select ESIC hospitals in Delhi-NCR, and will be extended to other ESIC hospitals across the country in a phased manner. The Corporation 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 till the commissioning of the project.