Victims of a road accident, acid attack or thermal burn injury in Delhi cannot be denied free treatment in private hospitals

It does not matter which part of the world you come from. It does not matter which class or section of the society you belong to. If unfortunately, you meet with an accident on the streets of Delhi you will be entitled to cashless treatment in Delhi hospitals. The Delhi Arogya Kosh scheme under the Health Department of Delhi covers all expenses required to treat your injury in any private or public hospital in the capital city. The only issue that can occur while trying to avail this scheme is the lack of knowledge on the part of the injured about it. [caption id=“attachment_2821634” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption]

What is the scheme?

On 15 February 2018, the Director-General of Health Services of Delhi issued a notice that mandated private hospitals in the capital to provide cashless treatment to persons injured in road accidents, acid attacks and thermal burns. The notice mentioned the guidelines for cashless treatment of medicolegal victims of a road accident, acid attack and thermal burn injury. But why only private hospitals? Why did the Delhi government not instruct the government hospitals to do the same? The reason is, Delhi government hospitals are already duty-bound to provide treatment to anyone who approaches them. The notification binds the private hospitals also to do the same, of course with a promise of reimbursement of the expenditure incurred in the treatment from the Delhi Arogya Kosh, the government body that runs the scheme. According to these guidelines, the accident for which treatment is sought should have happened in the National Capital Territory region. The injured persons can avail treatment in any hospital either private or government in Delhi under the scheme.

Who can be the beneficiary?

Somnath Bharti, an AAP MLA and former minister from Delhi while interpreting the scheme to Firstpost said that the speciality of this scheme is that even a foreigner is allowed to avail free treatment under this scheme. “The only requirement to avail the facility is that the incident which causes the injuries should have happened in the jurisdiction of Delhi Police. Since there are no other eligibility criteria, hence even if a foreigner faces such ordeal in the capital city, then he or she too can avail the benefit of the scheme,” he said. The notification declaring the scheme mentions that the victim is not required to carry any document for verification of eligibility to avail treatment under this scheme, except that the incident has occurred in the jurisdiction of Delhi Police. But sources in the Delhi government said that even the rule under which the injured person has to prove that he or she met the accident within the jurisdiction area of Delhi police is not hard and fast. “Normally, persons injured in such accidents are handed over to the hospital authorities by the police. In that case, the police itself provides the testimony about the place of occurrence of the accident. But in some cases, the injured himself or herself may reach the hospital. In such cases the declaration made by the injured person is also considered evidence about the place of occurrence,” said the source. There is also no condition related to the financial status of the injured to avail the benefit. Persons from all economic backgrounds can avail the scheme.

Procedure to avail the scheme

After providing immediate first-aid and requisite treatment for saving the life of the victim, the treating doctor (registered with Delhi Medical Council) has to inform the local police station, record the Daily Diary Number (D.D No.) on the case-sheet and prepare the medicolegal document. The keeper of the nursing home or private hospital needs to provide the following details of the victim, preferably within six hours of his or her arrival to the Health Department: i. Name of the nursing home and address ii. Casualty Record No./ Emergency Registration No iii. MLC No. iv. Name v. Age vi. Gender vii Address viii Brought By ix. Informant x. Brief History: Whether a road accident or acid attack or thermal burn injury xi. Police Station xii. D.D. No. xiii. Investigating Officer In case the patient is unconscious or drowsy and not oriented in time, space and person, then details at (iv) & (vii) above are not required, however, approximate age of the patient is to be provided.

Transfer of the victim from one nursing home to another

In a situation where the nursing home where the victim has been initially brought is not equipped to handle the case within the staff, facilities and medical expertise internally, the keeper at the time of registration or the doctor will have to ensure immediate transfer of the victim to an appropriate higher centre with requisite facilities either in their own ambulance or use the services of the ambulance provider mentioned by the keeper at the time of registration or use the services of ambulance services of the Delhi government. Any such decision regarding transferring such victim must be taken within 24 hours of the time of arrival at the concerned nursing home or private hospital. Information regarding transfer of such victim to another medical establishment along with reasons for the same shall be provided by the keeper to the supervising authority within 24 hours of such transfer.

Can a hospital deny admission?

No hospital can deny admission to a victim of a road accident, acid attack and thermal burn injury. In case of any complaint of denying admission the hospital concerned can lose its registration with the Delhi government.