Health-care services for all at the swipe of a smart health card in enlisted public or private hospitals is what Sampoorna Arogya Keralam, the historic universal health-care scheme proposed by Finance Minister K.M. Mani in the State Budget, promises.

The Minister enhanced the allocation for the health sector marginally from Rs.629.40 crore in 2014-15 to Rs.665.37 crore in the current year

Sampoorna Arogya Keralam, floated as the flagship programme of the health sector, will bring together various schemes offering financial cover for accessing health care under a single umbrella so that the schemes are better coordinated and patients do not have to go knocking at various doors for accessing health cover.

Health card

The smart health card will operate on a state-of-the-art ICT platform.

At present, seven major schemes RSBY-CHIS, CHIS Plus, Arogyakiranam, Thalolam, Cancer Protection Scheme, Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund, and Karunya Benevolent Fund run by various departments are offering financial assistance to people for accessing medical care.

Mr. Mani seems to have taken on board a recommendation by the State Planning Boards Expert Committee on Health that an integration of these schemes will ensure a continuum of care for patients, without having to incur out-of-pocket expenditure.

The Finance Minister said a Sampoorna Arogya Keralam Trust would be set up under the Chief Minister, with the Ministers concerned as trustees. The estimated funds required for the scheme was Rs.500 crore and the scheme would be funded by channelising resources from various other schemes.

He said the government was quite proud of the investments it had made in the health sector and that by the end of the year, 11 districts would have medical colleges. The proposed Ernakulam Cancer Institute and Research Centre would be built on the annuity mode at an outlay of Rs.450 crore.

A sum of Rs.1 crore had been earmarked for the e-Health scheme being implemented in the State with Central assistance. Emergency medical care facilities would be strengthened, for which Rs.2.5 crore had been set aside.

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