Yashaswini rural health scheme gains popularity

The Karnataka government's `Yashaswini', a health protection scheme for rural co-operative society members including farmers and weavers, launched in 2003-04 has not only become popular in Mysore division enrolling as many as 4,14,660 members last year against the target of 9.25 lakh, but has also generated interest elsewhere.

In as many as 63 hospitals identified in eight districts of the division, 13,521 members obtained treatment as in-patients and 4,865 as out patients. Their enrollment fee of Rs 120 per annum generated Rs 4.98 crore, but the total sum disbursed for treatment, including surgery, ammounted to Rs 7.57 crore.

This year the enrollment target is doubled, as membership has to be renewed every year afresh for one to become eligible for free medical benefit under any of the 1,600 diseases and surgeries listed in the scheme. In all, 197 hospitals are identified for medical treatment in the state.

The government has included eight more to the list, covering general maternity, caring of just born, accidents caused by agricultural implements, drowning, dog and snake biting, cattle attack, and electrical shocks.

Costly surgical operations are made available at reputed district hospitals, where exclusive `Yashaswini counters' are opened. The Family Health Plan Limited, an institution formed separately for the purpose, is coordinating the scheme's implementation.

The co-operative department officials have stepped up campaign for meeting the target of 18.50 lakh enrollment before April 30 last date and in the last two months have reached 1.98 lakh mopping up Rs 2.30 crore as membership fee, said joint registrar of co-operative societies K S Himavanth Gopal.

Deputy registrar Prakash Rao said Mysore stood second among the eight districts with 60,483 enrollment last year. Mandya topped with 92,723 members. In Mandya 5,449 and 1,482 members received benefit as in-patients and out patients, while 2,556 and 602 people were in-patients and out patients in Mysore district. The fee collected was Rs 65 lakh, but the disbursal for surgery was Rs 1.19 crore. Six hospitals are identified for surgery in Mysore district.

Around 12,520 members had benefitted since the scheme was launched, of whom 2,251 had undergone surgery, while 8,018 received treatment as out patients, Rao said.

The Yashaswini scheme has come for appreciation by other states. Even some countries abroad have evinced interest in its implementation, Himavant Gopal added.

While LIC policies take care of after-insurance diseases, 'Yashaswini' covered even existing or old ailments, he said.