Treatment fund in limbo in 12 districts

BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa State Treatment Fund (OSTF) is a non-starter in as many as 12 districts even after a lapse of over two months since its launch in December last year. Not a single patient in the districts of Bargarh, Bhadrak, Boudh, Cuttack,  Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Malkangiri, Puri and Rayagada has benefited from the scheme that entails provision of financial assistance to the poor people under BPL category to meet their medical needs. Despite the fact that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is directly monitoring the progress of the OSTF, the scheme is yet to become functional in 12 districts, prompting the Health and Family Welfare department to seek explanations from the respective chief district medical officers (CDMOs). Nayagarh has emerged the best performing district in terms of OSTF extension to patients followed by Sundargarh, Kandhamal and Nuapada. The health administration in Nayagarh district has sanctioned about ` 3.25 lakh to around 73 beneficiaries under the scheme. Sundargarh has disbursed an amount of `1,38,319 to around 26 patients while as many as 43 patients have benefited in Kandhamal district where the disbursal amount has been `1.25 lakh. Nuapada has disbursed `93,810 to five patients, Keonjhar `73,300 to four patients, Nabarangpur ` 33,661 to 12 beneficiaries, Koraput `53,729 to 11 patients, Deogarh `49,100 to five patients and Balangir `45,000 to nine beneficiaries. Interestingly, the tribal-dominated and backward districts have done progressively well in OSTF implementation and the coastal districts have lagged behind. Of the 12  “yet to start” districts,  eight are coastal ones, others of the ilk have made a start for namesake only. In Balasore, only one case has been sanctioned with a disbursal amount of `10,556.Among the Medical College and Hospitals, MKCGH at Berhampur has surged ahead providing assistance to about 59 patients to the tune of `7,24,980. The SCBMCH Cuttack has managed up to 23 patients with financial disbursement to the tune of ` 4,66,704 while VSSMCH Burla has helped 26 patients with `3,73,380 disbursed amount. The Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC), Cuttack, has sanctioned `5,79,400 to nine patients even as it was included in OSTF only recently while the Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar has assisted three patients with a total `22,600 and the Sardar Vallavbhai Postgraduate Institute of Paediatrics (Sishu Bhawan), Cuttack has disbursed `1 lakh among three beneficiaries. Taking serious view on the perceived lackadaisical approach by the districts, the Health department has issued a stern note to the CDMOs. That no patient has benefited from OSTF in 12 districts shows a lack of initiative on the part of the health authorities in successful implementation of the scheme, the Health Secretary has pointed out in the note while directing the CDMOs to explain the lapses.