Free doorstep healthcare for sr citizens

In a first of its kind, BMC has cleared the decks to help bedridden patients and senior citizens get healthcare facilities at home. This endeavour, which is free of cost, intends to help many elderly patients get quick medical assistance at their doorstep.

With this decision, it will now be easier for bed-ridden patients to undergo blood tests, X-ray tests and other minor tests at their homes. Till date, this was not possible for such patients due to their physical limitations, or frailty.

The newly-introduced facility by civic-run dispensaries and hospitals will at least put an end to the highly exorbitant fees charged by private practitioners for home visits.

This proposal was first tabled in 2012, but it was in limbo for the last six years due to the innumerable loopholes in this proposal. “Due to the health condition of elderly patients, they often cannot go out for pathological diagnosis. So, a proposal floated in public health committee in 2012 has finally been accepted,” said Dr Saeeda Khan, a member on the BMC health panel and also a corporator of National Congress Party (NCP).

She further added this initiative will be carried out through the ‘Aapli Chikitsa Yojana’ where doctors and nurses working in civic dispensaries, peripheral hospitals and maternity homes situated in the locality of a patient will visit their homes.

“As BMC is changing all medical records online through a centralised system, medical reports of these patients would be updated on the software, so doctors at any civic-run medical institute would be able to see it at a click of a button. The reports of tests conducted will be sent to doctors through an online system for their opinions and further recommendations regarding the course of treatment,” Khan said.

Health activists, working for senior citizens have welcomed the move saying it is the great step. But they are of the opinion that the civic body should increase manpower in its hospitals for better implementation of the scheme.