Functioning of hospitals that run under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has come under the investigative lens of the parliamentary panel, as the authorities have asked the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and some state governments to take the reins from the management authorities of some of these health facilities. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the shortcomings of the ESIC-run hospitals, which often face problems of dual administrative control from state governments and the ESI Corporation.
Earlier on November 6, a report by the Economic Times had shed light on the ill management and functioning of the ESI hospitals in Faridabad. The hospital were plagues with by lack of facilities and shortage of doctors and other staff, while the tedious healthcare staff recruitment process further aggravated the agonies of the patients.
“The biggest problem is that hospitals under ESIC have not been developed to meet the requirements of the people and this has continued for a very long time. There are hospitals which are run by the state governments and medicines are provided by ESIC which makes it difficult for the smooth functioning of these health facilities. The ESI Corporation has now asked the health ministry and respective state governments to start taking control of some of these hospitals for better management and functioning,” a person aware of the matter said.
Under the Congress-led UPA government, it was decided to step up the quality of ESIC hospitals to place them at the same level with All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), but the decision could not be materialized due to dwindling funds. Now the issue is that ESIC has informed the Centre and the states that it can no longer afford to manage these facilities, the person added.
The Parliamentary panel also opines that there is a complete absence of a sense of responsibility in some cases by either the state governments or the Union governments along with ESIC to replenish funds. The Standing Committee on Labour has invited representatives of ESIC and Health Ministry to chart future course of the functioning and management of these hospitals. Representatives are scheduled to appear before the parliamentary panel on Tuesday to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on these healthcare facilities.
