Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards offering qualitative universal health care for the people of Odisha, the State Government has expanded the range of free diagnostic services to 146, said Minister Health & Family Welfare and Finance Niranjan Pujari on Monday.
He said, “These services are assured under NIDAAN Scheme launched by Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik on January 1, 2018. The entire population of the State irrespective of income level is entitled to get these free services in Government hospitals and Health Sub-centres. The Medical College and Hospitals( MC&Hs) will provide 221 types of pathological tests free of cost.”
Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, Shalini Pandit said, “The list of essential diagnostic tests will be modified keeping in view State’s priority and diseases burden from time to time.”
She clarified that henceforth the district headquarter hospitals would provide 146 types of tests, the sub-divisional hospitals would provide 121 types of tests, the community health centres (CHCs)would provide 103 types of tests, primary health centres (PHCs) would provide 65 types of tests. and the sub-centres would provide 16 types of diagnostic tests free of cost to all patients.
Different MC&Hs of the state will provide 221 types of free of cost diagnostic tests to all patients.
The speciality and high-end pathological tests would be provided through credible outsource agencies selected through Gem tender. The selected agency would establish required sample collection centres at District, Sub-division, Block, CHC & PHC levels.
The heads of the government health facilities were asked to display the list of assured diagnostic services at prominent places of their respective institutions for public information and awareness.
Pujari assured that the quality of free diagnostic services would be ensured through “appropriate external and internal quality control measures” as per national quality assurance standards.
