Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Maharashtra has major government and private hospitals in Mumbai, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik and other cities. On the lines of Tamil Nadu, we are soon introducing a ‘Medical Value Tourism’ scheme in the state. It will soon receive cabinet approval. Maharashtra will perform even better than Tamil Nadu and a new industry will be created, said public health minister Prakash Abitkar.
Abitkar was speaking during a Health Department review meeting held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Sunday. He said the government resolution (GR) for the scheme will be issued soon. Hospitals participating in the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana and ESIC will be included under this programme. As a growing medical hub, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is expected to benefit significantly.
The minister shared that the expenditure for the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana has increased sharply from earlier Rs 1,500 crore to RS 2,500 crore, and now to nearly Rs 5,000–Rs 5,500 crore following revised treatment packages.
Responding to long-pending demands, the government has decided to grant approval to day-care centres and hospitals with up to five beds, Abitkar said.
To expand organ donation services, the state is developing ROTTO-SOTTO committees (Regional and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations) in district hospitals, along with a central dashboard for monitoring.
For haemophilia patients, the essential drug ‘Hemlibra’ will soon be available statewide. A purchase order worth Rs 4 crore has already been placed, he added.
Explaining the Medical Value Tourism scheme, Abitkar said foreign patients will be offered surgeries, specialised treatments and other medical services in Maharashtra at reasonable rates. The state will sign agreements with various countries and their healthcare institutions. Additionally, visa processing for patients arriving for treatment will be facilitated under the scheme to ensure smoother access to medical care.