Lok Sabha Question No. 3009 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-06
Subject: Engagement of CGHS Infrastructure for COVID Care
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Sukanta Majumdar, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Bhola Singh, Jayanta Kumar Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3009 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH  AUGUST, 2021

## ENGAGEMENT OF CGHS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COVID CARE

## 3009.   SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA):

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government has engaged  Central Government  Health Scheme  (CGHS) infrastructure  to provide health care facilities during COVID-19 pandemic in  the  country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  details  of  such  functional  CGHS  hospitals/  dispensaries  converted  intodedicated COVID carecentres, State-wise;
- (d)  whether CGHS is short in manpower andoperating through contractual staff  including doctors and para medics and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (e) whether the Government has made any impact assessment of the CGHS and if so, the details thereof including the outcome; and
- (f)  the  other  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  providing  quality  medical  and healthcare facilities to Member's  of  Parliament  and  Central  Government employees?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)  to  (c):  Central  Government  Health  Scheme  (CGHS)  is  a  contributory  health  scheme primarily meant for Central Government Employees and Pensioners and their eligible family members,  which  provides  primary  healthcare  through  its  Wellness  Centres.  Though,  no

CGHS  Wellness  Centre/  Hospital  has  been  converted  into  a  dedicated  COVID  Centre, however, CGHS has taken the following steps to contain the spread of COVID -19 :-

(i) Medical Officers and staff were deployed at Airports for screening and for monitoring the international travelers isolated at Quarantine centres.

(ii) CGHS Wellness Centres operated 'Fever Clinic' for screening CGHS beneficiaries with complaints of fever and symptoms suggestive of COVID infection.

- (iii) CGHS Medical Officers provided consultation and advice over telephone for COVID19 positive CGHS beneficiaries, who had been advised home care.

(iv) CGHS Wellness Centreswere offered to State Governments to function as COVID19 Vaccination Centres as per their suitability.

(d) to (f) : Due to superannuation, death, Voluntary retirement etc. of doctors and other staff, some  posts  in  CGHS  remain  vacant.In  order  to  ensure  that  the  healthcare  facilities  to CGHS beneficiaries are not impacted, contractual Staff including services of retired Doctors and other staff are engaged against vacant posts as an interim measure till the posts are filled up on regular basis.

Improvement of CGHS facilities is a continuous dynamic process. Some of the initiatives taken  during  last  few  years  under  CGHS  for  the  benefit  of  CGHS  beneficiaries  are  at Annexure .

## Annexure

## Initiatives taken during last few years under CGHS

- i. Expansion of CGHS coverage from 25 Cities in 2014 to 74 as on date
- ii. Simplification of referral system under CGHS
- iii. Facility for printing CGHS Card by the beneficiary
- iv. Provision  for  OPD  consultation  from  Specialists  of  CGHS  empanelled hospital after referral from CGHS Wellness Centre / CGHS Specialist
- v. Direct Consultation from Specialists at empanelled hospitals in respect of elderly CGHS beneficiaries aged 75 years and above
- vi. Post-operative treatment in respect of critically ill beneficiaries is simplified and one-time permission without the need for revalidation from time to time. The consultation /investigations are permitted under these follow-up cases.

The conditions covered are:

-  Post Cardiac Surgery Cases including Coronary Angioplasty
-  Post Organ Transplant Cases (Liver, Kidney, Heart, etc.,)
-  Post Neuro Surgery Cases/Post Brain Stroke cases requiring regular follow-up treatment
-  End Stage Renal Disease/follow up cases of Liver Failure
-  Cancer treatment
-  Auto-immune  disorders  like  Rheumatoid  Arthritis  requiring  regular follow-up
-  Neurological disorders like Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsonism, etc.,
- vii. Helpline for information and for lodging Complaints.
- viii. Aadhar based Attendance system at CGHS  Wellness Centres for punctuality
- ix. Online appointment  for consultation  with  Medical  Officers  at  CGHS, Wellness  Centres.  Online  transfer  of  CGHS  card  on  account  of  transfer from one CGHS covered city to another CGHS covered City in respect of serving employees also.
- x. Paperless settlement of Hospital Bills by CGHS through NHA-IT Platform w.e.f. 01.06.2021
- xi. Online  process  for  payment  of  CGHS  subscription  by  pensioners on  the Bharatkosh platform.
- xii. To facilitate consultation with specialists through virtual mode, CGHS has started tele-consultation services for its beneficiaries through e-Sanjeevani portal.
- xiii. Fortnightly webinars on relevant health topics are conducted.
- xiv. Approval of Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance for creation of posts  to  man  16  new  Wellness  Centres,  which  include  new  cities  like Panchkula,  Mysuru,  Nasik,  Aurangabad,  Chandrapur,  Coimbatore  has been obtained.