Bhubaneswar: In a bid to provide emergency treatment to road accident victims during the ‘Golden Hour’ (immediate one-hour time period following a traumatic injury), Odisha government on Saturday decided to extend free treatment of the victims in various private hospitals in the State.
The scheme will be introduced at three hospitals- Apollo, AMRI and Ashwini hospital in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack respectively in the first phase. The facility will be extended to other cities including Rourkela, Berhampur and Sambalpur, informed State health secretary, PK Meherda.
Official sources said that Transport Department has provided Rs 4 crore to Health and Family Welfare Department out of Odisha Road Safety Fund for reimbursement of the treatment cost of such patients.
The Health and Family Welfare Department has prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) for providing free medical treatment of road accident victims in private hospitals.
As per the guidelines, immediate treatment will be provided after a road accident victim is rushed to the nearest private Trauma Care Centres. The hospitals have been asked to intimate Directorate of Medical and Technical Education (DMET) about the arrival of such patients.
The private hospitals have been directed to submit the supporting documents for examination and reimbursement of the cost of treatment after 48 hours to the time of admission of a road accident victim. All the claims will be settled by DMET within one week.