Punjab minister asks private hospitals to be part of 'Farishtey' scheme to save lives

Chandigarh, January 22  

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh on Monday asked the state’s private hospitals to be a part of the ‘Farishtey’ scheme and help save the lives of people involved in road accidents.

“We want to make the maximum use of the golden hour to save lives of road accident victims. Without any discrimination based on nationality, caste, or socio-economic status, the Punjab government will ensure free treatment of all road accident victims at nearby hospitals, including private hospitals,” Singh said.

The golden hour is the first crucial hour after a road accident, during which time if a seriously injured person is given critical care, the chances of survival increase.

Emphasising the need for support from private healthcare institutions, the minister urged hospitals across the state, particularly those providing tertiary and secondary care, to register themselves for the scheme.

The minister advised the hospitals to contact their respective district civil surgeons for any registration-related queries.

“Till now, 384 hospitals in the state have got themselves registered under the Farishtey scheme, with 146 being public hospitals and 238 private hospitals,” Singh said.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) of Punjab has already become a part of the scheme.

Under the ‘Farishtey’ scheme, anyone who takes a road accident victim to a hospital for treatment will be honoured and rewarded with Rs 2,000.

Also, there will be no questioning by police or hospital authorities of the person, who brings the road accident victim to a hospital, until and unless the person wants to become an eyewitness.