The Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society (RSCWS) has written a letter to the Director General of Railway Health Services, requesting hassle-free treatment for railway beneficiaries, particularly old-age pensioners and their dependents.
The RSCWS emphasizes the need for improved healthcare services and accessibility, considering the increasing number of railway beneficiaries in Chandigarh and Mohali. They propose specific solutions to address the challenges faced by beneficiaries and request the railway authorities to take necessary actions to meet their demands.
Upgrading Chandigarh Railway Health Unit
RAILWAY SENIOR CITIZENS WELFARE SOCIETY
(Estd. 1991, Regd. No. 1881 – Under Registration of Societies Act),
IDENTIFIED BY DOP&PW GOVT. OF INDIA – UNDER PENSIONERS’ PORTAL
MEMBER, SCOVA (STANDING COMMITTEE FOR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES)
No. RSCWS/CHD/Memo DG(RHS)/2023-7
Dated: 13-6-2023
Director General (Railway Health Services),
Rail Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001.
Dear Sir,
Subject: Hassle free treatment of Railway Beneficiaries – especially old age Pensioners and their dependents-Request for:
i) Upgrading of Chandigarh Railway Health Unit to Sub Divisional Hospital;
ii) Provision of Diagnostic, IPD and essential facilities like- X-Ray, Paramedical,
Emergency, and Ambulance etc. in Health Unit/ Hospital
iii) Setting up of a lock up dispensary or Health Unit at Mohali.
iv) Streamlining of system of Referral and approval of treatment in Emergency in Empanelled Hospitals.
Ref: -i) Rly. Board’s Letter Reg.: Medical Treatment to Railway Beneficiaries No. 2005/H/6-4/Policy-II Dated 30-7-2018 and 16-4-2007. (Copies enclosed)
ii) Railway Board’s letter no: 2018/TransCell/Health/CGHS dated 16.06.21. (Copy enclosed)
Chandigarh Railway Station is going to be developed with world class facilities under the aegis of NITI Aayog by IRSDC. We, the Railway Senior Citizens Welfare Society (RSCWS) being a registered pensioners association, want to bring the following few points to your notice for favorable consideration and necessary action thereon:
- That the condition of the present-day Railway Health Unit at Chandigarh is merely a basic dispensary class and it is primarily working as a medicines distribution center with single doctor and limited staff without any Indoor and emergency treatment facility. In these circumstances the Railway Beneficiaries (Serving/Retired) are deprived of the quality treatment and always have to run for Divisional Hospital at Ambala Cantt. or go to local costly private hospitals which adds to their woes in case of acute emergency.
- That at present more than 1500 Railway Beneficiaries plus their family members totaling over 6000 are dependent on the Railway Health Unit Chandigarh. The number of Railway beneficiaries including employees, pensioners and their dependents, are bound to increase in the coming years with the extension of Chandigarh Railway Station and diversion of more trains through Chandigarh as well as origination of more trains from Chandigarh and Mohali. This makes it more imperative to upgrade the health care facilities for the Railway beneficiaries residing in and around Chandigarh and Mohali.
- The Health Unit is located across the Chandigarh station yard, more than a kilometer away from there and is not covered by any public transport and so is not adequatelyaccessible, particularly for the aged pensioners. And going by road, one has to go via Panchkula which adds another 4 Kms to reach there. Therefore, it is most necessary that the Health Unit/Sub-Divisional Hospital be preferably relocated on the front side of the Chandigarh Railway station for better accessibility.
- Up gradation of Railway Health Unit Chandigarh to the level of Divisional/Sub- Divisional Hospital is urgently required with proper health care facilities. This will be of great help to Railway Beneficiaries for availing medical treatment at Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali and surrounding areas.
- Railway Beneficiaries, including the Senior and Super Senior old age Patients residing at Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali and around are placed under serious hardship as many times they are told by the local ADMO or by the Doctors concerned at Ambala to go to Ambala to get the referral for the Empanelled Hospitals. This is totally unmindful of the ordeal the patients have to undergo to travel nearly 50 Kilometers to get the referral done. The Doctors at Ambala sometimes tell the Patients to go for treatment to Delhi (which is more than 200 Kms away) or to a private Hospital at Ambala, which is totally undesirable and problematic to get the treatment there, instead of being referred to an empanelled Hospital in and around Chandigarh, near their residence for cashless treatment at CGHS rates.
- Setting up a Health Unit or Lock up Dispensary at Mohali station:
A number of railway retirees as well as working staff are now settling down in the fast developing Mohali urban area. A number of trains to Punjab and Jammu side are also passing through Mohali. Taxing or driving down to Chandigarh Health Unit, about 20 Kms away on an average, is tough, tiring or even unsafe through the busy roads, for at least the aged retirees. So in all earnestness, a lock up dispensary/Health Unit be set up at Mohali immediately.This will also be more suitable for Chandigarh residents of southern sectors.
- It is, therefore, requested that :
i) Railway Health Unit at Chandigarh be suitably upgraded to the level of Divisional/Sub-Divisional Hospital.
ii) An emergency IPD Ward and another senior Doctor and essential facilities like – X-Ray, Paramedical, Diagnostic, Emergency, and Ambulance facility etc. be provided at Chandigarh Health Unit/Hospital.
iii) Authorizing the Medical Officer in-charge of the Health Unit Chandigarh :
a) To Refer Patients for treatment to Empanelled private Hospitals as per choice of the Patients or near to their residence; And
b) Directly approving Emergency Treatment in Empanelled private Hospitals. At present approval has to be obtained from CMS office, Ambala.
iv) A lock up dispensary or Health Unit be set up at Mohali.
v) Hassle free treatment of Railway Beneficiaries – especially of the old age Pensioners and their dependents may please be provided with a patient friendly approach by all concerned.
Yours truly,
Secretary General, RSCWS.