Chief Minister N Biren Singh alongwith Chief Minister-gi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT) launched 10 Advanced Life Support Ambulances as a gift of Statehood Day to the people of Manipur at a grand function organised by Directorate of Health Services at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium today.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Minister said that CMHT was a dream-scheme of the new Government. "With the launching of this new scheme, the BJP-led Government had been able to gift two most noble social security schemes to its people, another being the Chief Minister-gi Sotharabashing gi Tengbang (CMST) launched on December 3, 2017," he added.

Disclosing that the new Government put in effort with all seriousness for 5 to 6 months to conceptualise the noble schemes with a determination to do something tangible for the masses, the Chief Minister congratulated all the Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats, officials and those involved in the project on successfully bringing out the two schemes. Stating that there are still many poverty-stricken people in the State, the Chief Minister asked the Government officials and doctors to deal the poor, deprived and underprivileged people with a humane touch when they approach them for assistance.

Urging the doctors to prescribe the generic medicines listed in PM’s Jana Aushahi Yojana in order to make healthcare affordable to poor people, the Chief Minister opined that there is nothing better than serving the humans sincerely.
Speaking at the occasion as the Functional President, Health and Family Welfare Minister L. Jayantakumar said that the new Government had taken up many people-oriented programmes despite fund constraints. PM’s Jana Aushadhi Programme, free diagnosis programme and launching of 10 modern hi-tech life support ambulances are part of all these programmes.

The scheme will provide cover up to Rs. 2 lakh per eligible family identified from the Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) in the treatment of seven critical identified critical ailments viz. cardiovascular diseases, kidney ailments, neurological conditions, liver ailments, cancer, neo-natal diseases, and burns per year. The eligible persons will also get a hospitalization medical cover up to Rs. 50,000 for other diseases.

The beneficiaries may get themselves enrolled for the scheme with the help of ASHA workers at the kiosks opened in nearby PHCs, CHCs and District Hospitals. The scheme will consider even those families whose names are not in the deprivation list of SECC data. If their names are not found in SECC data, CMHT kiosk managers will refer their claims to the DCs concerned through online platform for verification of their economic status. The scheme will be managed by an Implementation Support Agency, which is selected through a transparent and National competitive bidding method.

The most special aspect of the scheme is its innovative features. Firstly, CMHT will have convergence with Government of India programme viz. PM’s Jana Aushadhi Programme and Free Diagnostic Programme. Secondly, the scheme will be a truly IT platform driven scheme. From enrolment to verification and hospital claims and from billing to issuance of drugs and consumables, everything will be managed on IT based applications. Applicants will receive phone text alerts on their application status and claimed benefits status. At the time of hospitalization beneficiaries’ biometric verification will be carried out based on his/her Adhaar database.

Moreover, in order to enhancing healthcare system in the State, MPSC had already conducted examinations for the recruitment of 300 doctors, results of which are expected to be announced within this month, he added.
To mark the launch of the scheme, the Chief Minister and dignitaries distributed Health Cards for the scheme to some selected beneficiaries.

During the function, the Chief Minister also launched 10 Advanced Life Support Ambulances for the districts of the State. These ambulances have all the equipments that it may function as mobile ICUs. These ambulances have equipment to tackle heart failure, respiratory failure, fractures having robust oxygen supply system, ventilator, cardiac defibrillator monitor, suction machine, infusion pump, vacuum splint and its own inbuilt water supply and electric supply system. It is ideal for movement in the hilly terrains conforming to national ambulance standard.