Now, state govt plans to grade private hospitals

Mumbai: In a bid to bring about standardisation of health services and promote transparency, the state government is planning to carry out an exercise to grade private hospitals that want to be part of its Jeevandayi Yojana—a scheme to provide subsidised treatment for people below poverty line.
    Incidentally, the Central Government Health Service had, a few months ago, made it mandatory for private hospitals treating its members to have a National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) certification.
    As per the Jeevandayi scheme, which was launched two years ago, the state government pays for the treatment of serious ailments affecting the heart, kidneys, etc. It is only available for families that have a yellow ration card or fall below the poverty line.
    “The demand for treatment under the Jeevandayi Yojana has grown in leaps and bounds. We want patients to have access to good and timely health care and, therefore, the decision to include private hospitals,’’ said Sharvaree Gokhale, additional chief secretary, public health. TNN