Hyderabad: Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Sunday directed officials to expedite the issuance of health cards under the Employees Health Scheme (EHS) and take steps to expand hospital coverage under the scheme. At a high-level review meeting with EHS Trust Board members and senior officials at Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Praja Bhavan, Bhatti said the state govt was committed to protecting employees’ welfare and rights and ensuring health security for employees, their families and dependents.He said EHS was introduced to address a long-pending issue faced by govt employees and provide financial and mental relief to families when employees or their dependents fell ill. Bhatti said govt had held several meetings with employee associations while framing scheme and considered their suggestions and views.EHS currently has 354 private hospitals empanelled, while some more hospitals have been included under deemed empanelment, he said. Bhatti directed officials to hold discussions with hospital managements and ensure effective implementation of the scheme. He asked officials to ensure that the employees’ welfare scheme was not treated casually and said govt was committed to implementing it with sincerity.Bhatti said successive govts had failed to address employees’ issues for a decade and that the Congress govt had introduced health cards keeping employee welfare in mind. He urged officials and employee associations to discharge their responsibilities in ensuring successful implementation of EHS.
