West Bengal government to start Swasthya Sathi for 22 lakh migrant workers soon
Times of India | 8 June 2024
KOLKATA: Bengal government will start processing Swasthya Sathi cards for 22 lakh migrant workers from the state, who are working outside Bengal, so that they can get free treatment in the states they are working. The state health department will also appoint Implementation Support Agency (ISA) for this.
The department had floated a tender on Thursday for selection of the ISA in different states and held a meeting at Swasthya Bhavan on Friday.An official said the meeting was for extension of the cards to migrant workers who had enrolled through the Karma Sathi portal of the state government.
Shamirul Islam, Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP and chairman, West Bengal Migrant Workers' Welfare Board, said that around 22 lakh people had already registered as migrant workers and the state will be providing them the cards.
"We will tie up with healthcare providers in different states, so that our migrant workers are not denied treatment even after having the card. We have the contact details of the migrant workers and sending the cards will not be an issue. It can be delivered at their homes or at their place of work as per their choice," Shamirul said. He added that the work was stalled for the EC's Model Code of Conduct. He said the tie-ups with the hospitals and nursing homes will be completed soon.
An official said the scheme will be implemented through assurance mode by the state nodal agency (SNA) with help from IRDA enlisted/approved third party administrator as implementation support agencies (ISAs). He said: "We will select ISA for each state with which SNA will execute a pact for providing services across the country."