Pune: Maharashtra To Study Best Healthcare Models Nationwide For Reforms, Says Health Minister Prakash Abitkar

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar expressed the wish that every worker in the state must benefit from the Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESIC) while speaking at an event on Wednesday. ESIC’s work is very imperative for public state service in the state, Abitkar said.

Prakash Abitkar said, “Maharashtra’s ESIC operations will become the finest in the country. Employees should treat these hospitals as temples of health and serve with a spirit of devotion.”

During the event, he also announced the establishment of a robust network of ESI hospitals across the state.

A felicitation ceremony was organised by the Maharashtra State Labour Insurance Society for officers and employees who performed excellently. The event took place at the GD Madgulkar Auditorium in Akurdi.

Present at the event were Health Department Secretary E. Ravindran, Commissioner of the State Labour Insurance Scheme Ramesh Chavan, CEO of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana Annasaheb Chavan, Deputy CEO Dr Dayanand Jagtap, Director Soyam Wayal, Dr Ashok Thorat, and Medical Superintendent of Mohannagar ESI Hospital Dr Varsha Supe, among others.

Owned Hospitals Over Privatisation...

Minister Abitkar stated that instead of partnering with private hospitals and paying them, the government is focusing on building its own well-equipped hospitals.

“Common citizens are often overwhelmed by looking at private hospital bills; to relieve them of this anxiety, the network of ESIC hospitals will be expanded,” he said.

He assured that an updated organisational structure (Akrutibandh) will soon be approved to ensure adequate manpower are available. Furthermore, he guaranteed that the transfer process would be conducted transparently through group counselling.

Studying Best Health Services Across the Country...

To ensure Maharashtra remains at the forefront of the healthcare sector, a special team from the Health Department will be formed.

This team will visit various states across the country to study the best initiatives in their health sectors and provide recommendations for establishing similar facilities in Maharashtra.

“The state does not lack funds; we only need the support of well-planned execution,” Abitkar noted.

Doctors are the Deities of the Temple...

Comparing hospitals to temples, Abitkar said, “High-quality hospitals have been built everywhere; these are temples of health. The doctors within them are the deities, and the staff should serve patients with the sincerity of devotees. I want everyone to work in such a way that instead of having to reprimand staff, I get the opportunity to give them a pat on the back.”