Govt plans scheme for cashless treatment of accident victims

THE CENTRE ALSO PLANS TO CREATE A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT FUND TO PAY FOR THEIR MEDICAL CARE, INCLUDING DURING THE SO-CALLED GOLDEN HOUR

NEWDELHI: The government plans to unveil a scheme for the cashless treatment of road accident victims and create a motor vehicle accident fund to pay for their medical care, including during the so-called golden hour.

Golden hour refers to the first hour after trauma when, if proper and timely first aid is given, road accident victims’ chances of survival improve.

The transport ministry has proposed a cap of ~2.5 lakh for the victim’s treatment per accident and designated the National Health Authority as the nodal agency to implement the scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. All road accident victims of Indian or foreign nationality will be considered eligible under the scheme.

The Centre has sought feedback on the proposed scheme from all chief secretaries by July 10. “The central government shall make a scheme for the cashless treatment of victims of the accident during the golden hour and such scheme may contain provisions for creation of a fund for such treatment…the National Health Authority being the nodal agency for PMJAY having footfall all across the country with more than 21,000 hospitals on board has been entrusted to implement the scheme of cashless treatment of motor vehicle accident victims and also a nodal agency for PMJAY,” the transport ministry said in its letter addressed to the states, a copy of which has been reviewed by Hindustan Times.

More than 150,000 people die per year due to road accidents in India. On average, 1,200 road accidents happen in India every day, and around 400 people lose their lives on account of them, according to the transport ministry.

“It is envisioned to have a scheme by the central government for providing access to cashless trauma care treatment for road accident victims at the nearest appropriate hospital in the country, in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling, and by drawing its power from the Motor Vehicle(Amendment) Act 2019 (MV Amendment Act). Such cashless treatment shall be extended to road accident victims including during golden hour, as defined by the MV Amendment Act,” the ministry’s proposal said. Setting up of a road accident fund was one of the key provisions of the MV Amentment Act passed by parliament in September last year.

“The cashless treatment scheme proposed by the Centre , is a pathbreaking development towards saving lives of road crash victims,” said Piyush Tewari, founder and CEO, SaveLIFE Foundation, which works to save lives on the roads and improve road safety.