A startling revelation shows that NHM’s allocated Rs 87.54 lakh annually remains unused, leaving employees without critical health insurance while battling life-threatening illnesses and without proper care and protection
Call it a shocking bureaucratic apathy or a serious system failure, fact remains that many a National Health Mission employee is suffering from various ailments, even facing death, without any health insurance—despite the fact that the Ministry of Health led by JP Nadda did allocate approximately Rs 90 lakh—to be precise Rs 87.54 lakh- annually for the health insurance and welfare of its employees.
The central funds have been received and remained unspent year after year even as the entire NHM work force suffered.
This shocking negligence has come under intense scrutiny as a heart-wrenching situation, of late, came to fore, highlighting the potential human cost of bureaucratic apathy.
The spotlight has fallen on a woman NHM employee, currently battling Osteosarcoma of the mandible (bone cancer) and undergoing extensive and expensive treatment in a Kolkata hospital. As she fights for her life, her family grapples with an overwhelming financial crisis, struggling to meet the mounting medical bills.
In a desperate attempt to provide support, fellow NHM workers have resorted to crowdfunding. While their solidarity is commendable, a critical question arises: Is crowdfunding enough ? Or why such initiative be there at the first place when govt fund is available …
In a desperate attempt to provide support, fellow NHM workers have resorted to crowdfunding. While their solidarity is commendable, a critical question arises: Is crowdfunding a sufficient substitute for the very funds allocated by the central government for this exact purpose? The irony is stark: funds earmarked for welfare of employees and health insurance lie dormant while an employee desperately needs financial support for a life-threatening illness. Calls are growing louder for their immediate sacking or stringent punishment, as their inaction is being viewed as a direct violation of the human rights of NHM employees.
The tragic irony of an employee losing insurance eligibility upon a cancer diagnosis, coupled with the fact that the woman NHM employee has reportedly lost her eligibility for health insurance coverage, the only viable path to alleviate the financial burden on the ailing employee’s family appears to be the reimbursement of her medical expenditures as state has failed to comply it.
When contacted the official sources have admitted that the funds received from the centre for health insurance of the NHM employees were not really spent as yet
When contacted the official sources have admitted that the funds received from the centre for health insurance of the NHM employees were not really spent as yet. What they say also brings to light how red-tapism and shocking official dilly-dallying rot the system.
There is a typical bureaucratic answer that though Rs 87.54 lakh was approved for health insurance for each financial year (RoP 2024-26) ( by the Central government) the matter was processed in file and that the NHM officials sought reference of states which have implemented the health insurance.
Officials said, in Tripura, the NHM does have an HR committee headed by Health department’s Additional Secretary.
It is learnt that the matter will be placed in the meeting on April 11 next for floating tender though GeM for selecting an insurance company to provide service in this regard and if everything goes as per system then the process is expected to be completed by August next..
The above reply says it all.
The unspent Rs 90 lakh (app) annually– and all that ‘file works’ unquestionably, point towards a systemic failure. The very premise of allocating funds for welfare and health insurance acknowledges the vulnerable nature of contractual employment within the NHM. The simplicity of a potential solution was allegedly disregarded by the Joint MD, SPM In-charge, SFM, and their associates.
Sources from the Secretariat while asked said that even though not in the agenda of in the last Governing Body meeting, Secretary of Health had directed Joint MD, SPM & SFM to clear all HR related pending matters immediately. But they are said to have cleverly diluted the matter and even not recorded it in the minutes either, sources added.
This inaction not only raises grave accountability concerns and potential human rights violations but also exposes a disturbing pattern. These employees instead of a fundamental shift in the treatment of NHM workers, who form the backbone of the state’s healthcare system, are now facing the harsh reality of being denied the very safety net intended for them.
The blame will certainly be heaped upon the Health Minister who is also the Chief Minister-Prof. Dr. Manik Saha.
There are other constitutional and legal obligations that state government needs adhere to for welfare and social securities of contractual workers in all departments in that state as well. But not a single review is so far done by the Government either it be Left govt or present BJP led govt. The state government’s silence on these is deafening and demands immediate action.
