ESI clinics may be opened up

Employee's State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is set to open up its under-utilised hospitals to the public.

The corporation is also mulling the idea of entering into the public private partnership for up gradation of the hospitals and its existing infrastructure before unveiling them to the general public.

"A large part of existing infrastructure remains under utilised due to relocation of the industries, hence it makes sense to open these for the general public on user fee basis," said P C Chaturvedi, director general, Employees' State Insurance Corporation.

The corporation is also planning to amend the existing ESI laws in order to facilitate public private partnership for up gradation of the existing hospitals.

"We are on the process of identification of the hospitals where the bed occupancy lower than 60 percent and talks are on with some private companies for the up gradation of facilities, before go to the public," he added.

The amendment process is also in line with the corporation's plan to set up own madical hospitals and training institute across the countries.

Currently there is an acute shortage of skilled manpower for providing desired health services, so ESIC would have our own institute to address the need, Chaturvedi said.

All these issues would be discussed at the board meeting by the end of this mont5h and subsequently it will be sent to the ministry for approval.

Meanwhile, the corporation is looking at an increase of the net premium income by 25 percent by the end of this fiscal.

"We are looking to increase the premium income by Rs 600 crore by the end of March 2008," Chaturvedi told the media at the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce.