Adil Hamdani
Jammu : Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer reviewed financial assistance sanctioned in favour of patients under J&K Cancer Treatment and Management Fund for Poor (CTMFFP) here at a meeting of the Deputy Commissioners of the division.
The government scheme aims to ensure better treatment to poor and low income groups of cancer patients in the UT.
The fund has been established to provide necessary financial assistance to the people who come from modest economic backgrounds for cancer treatment and management including Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radio-therapy or a combination of these regimens.
In this regard, Div Com said that this scheme is immensely useful and appealed to the public to take maximum benefit of this assistance.
During the meeting, it was informed that under the scheme the government provides 60 percent of cost of treatment to patients whose income is Rs 3000 per month, 50 percent to those whose income is Rs 3001 to Rs 6000, 40 percent to those whose income is Rs 6001 to Rs 12000 and 30 percent to those whose income is Rs 12001 to Rs 20000.
The Div Com observed that there was poor response of the cases forwarded for sanctioning to the Government. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to prepare a database of patients, follow all the cases and forward the cases for sanctioning of financial assistance so that poor patients can avail the benefits under the Government scheme. He also instructed health officials to ensure that maximum people can benefit.
Dr Langer emphasized that Information Education Communication (IEC) campaigns should also be launched in the districts of the division for information of the general public and to inform the poor patients about the benefits of the scheme. He asked the DCs to make PRIs, DDCs, BDCs aware regarding the benefits of the scheme so that they also aware people of their areas.
During the meeting several queries were cleared regarding the scheme and it was informed that the cancer patients getting treatment from notified private hospitals can also avail the financial assistance under the scheme.
It was pointed out by the Div Com in the meeting that very few cases are being referred by the DCs vis-a-vis their counterparts in the other division; and as such directions were given to ascertain the reasons for less number of application being processed, at present.
Meanwhile, the Div Com also instructed the DCs to ensure functioning of Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the Districts.
Similar, instructions were given regarding extending the benefits to the eligible beneficiaries under Medical Aid Trust (MAT) scheme.
The meeting was attended in person by Director Finance LG office, Mohammad Arif Khan; Director ASCOMS, Dr Pawan Malhotra; Deputy Director Planning, Munish Dutta and other concerned while Deputy Commissioners of Jammu Division alongwith Principal GMCs/ CMOs participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
