Union Health Minister Mandaviya inaugurates 2 CGHS centres in Panchkula, Chandigarh

PTI

Chandigarh, June 9

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday inaugurated two CGHS wellness centres in Panchkula and Chandigarh calling quality healthcare priority of the Narendra Modi Government.

With the Friday opening, Chandigarh now has two Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) wellness centre. The minister inaugurated the Panchkula centre through a virtual link.

Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said, “It has been the priority of the Narendra Modi Government that citizens get quality healthcare.”

“If a country has to be made prosperous, it is important that its citizens are healthy. Healthy citizens build a healthy society which in turn leads to a prosperous nation,” he said.

The minister said the Centre is planning to launch several facilities, include an e-RUPI voucher, for the people.

He also praised the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which he said has given health security to 60 crore people so far, as he went to on to attack the Congress saying “you can’t kill poverty with speeches”.

“In 1971, late Indira Gandhi gave ‘Garibi Hatao’ slogan. For 52 years, only one party ruled the country. The poor were used only as a votebank, but the poor were not alleviated,” Mandaviya said.

The politician claimed the situation changed rapidly in the nine years of the Modi Government with poor getting amenities which they were deprived of all these decades.

“Poor … got electricity connection, they have got a gas cylinder in their home, they have got a house to live. Toilets were build, Ayushman Bharat cards have been given. This happens because of the will of the government... Poor, farmers, women, elderly…they are our priority. And CGHS beneficiaries cannot be out of that priority,” he said.

There are nearly 45 lakh CGHS beneficiaries in the country, he said.

In 2014, there were only 25 CGHS wellness centres in the country which now stand at 80, he said, adding the number will soon be taken to 100. The CGHS payment system has been connected with National Health Authority, he also said.

Mandaviya said that the waiting period for the clearance of a bill from a private hospital has now been reduced to only 15 days, or less.

The Health Minister also talked about equipping the CGHS beneficiaries with an e-RUPI voucher—a cashless and contactless instrument for digital payment.

“In coming days, we want to start more facilities for the CGHS beneficiaries. If you have to undergo a test and if you have been referred for that test, diagnosis, then there is no need to go through the bill hassle.

“In coming days, we are moving ahead to give e-RUPI voucher. There will be an e-voucher in the CGHS beneficiaries accounts and they will have facility to access empanelled hospital and lab once they are referred.

“...For lab report fees of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 you don’t have to keep bill, you can swipe there and the payment will be made, we are moving forward in this direction,” he told the gathering which had many CGHS beneficiaries in it.