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Puducherry spends high on healthcare: ESIC

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry government spends quite high on per capita healthcare, when compared to the neighbouring States, paving the way to high standards in delivery of health services, Regional Director of Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) of Puducherry K.Padmaja Nambiar said on Tuesday.

Addressing a group of ESI medical officers as part of its Fortnight Celebrations from February 24, Ms.Nambiar said the government’s expenditure for healthcare on each citizen was high. The interactive meet with the medical officers was aimed at the extension of improved medical care to the ESI beneficiaries. “Our Corporation allocates a budget for medical care ceiling which at present is Rs.1,000 per insured person (IP) per annum. The Central government gives this amount to the State government to spend towards medical arrangements in the respective States. The Puducherry government has been putting up a good performance as far as spending was concerned,” State Medical Commissioner of ESIC, Chennai Jain said. Of this amount, Puducherry spends over Rs.800 while many other States ended up spending only Rs. 600 to 700.

“Through this spending, Puducherry can offer more schemes and more services,” he added. Ms.Nambiar also said the government was very responsive as there was a good spread of ESI dispensaries in the Union Territory. At present, there were 15 dispensaries in the Union Territory, of which 12 were in Puducherry.

“There is always the demand for more and better services. We are actively thinking of measures to improve the delivery system,” she added.

Meanwhile, ESIC, Puducherry was in the process of acquiring land in Karaikal to establish a dispensary in its own building.

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