Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched Free Diagnostics Service in Assam to provide the free diagnostic check up in all government hospitals of the State. Free check up service is a State Government initiative to improve healthcare facilities. Chief Minister’s Free Diagnostic Service inaugurated across 16 district hospitals and regional diagnostic centres across the State.
It is planned that all State Government hospitals, except medical colleges, will offer the free service. In the first phase, the scheme will cover district civil hospitals, first referral units and regional district hospitals in Kamrup, Sonitpur, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Golaghat, Kamrup (metro), Darrang, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Hailakandi, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nalbari, Baksa, Barpeta and Dima Hasao.
Quality diagnosis is vital for medical practitioners to make effective decisions about treatment. Access and availability of quality Radiology Services have been a key challenge for the health system. The out of pocket expenditure of the patients on diagnostic tests are increasing and forms the second major segment of such expenditure after medicine.
To address the above issues, Chief Minister’s Free Diagnostics Services is envisaged to ensure availability of minimum set of diagnostics services at health institutions. Under Chief Minister’s Free Diagnostic Services CT Scan, X- Ray and Laboratory services will be provided free of cost to all irrespective of APL/BPL status.
28 CT Scan centers will be established at 28 district hospitals. Installation of 16 centers has been completed and another 12 centers will be made operational within two months.
Reporting of CT Scan images will be through Tele Radiology by the qualified Radiologist. Patient will receive CT Scan image along with report prescribed by a qualified Radiologist. Normal cases will be reported within 6 hours and emergency cases within 2 hours. All patient referred by government health institutions will be provided CT Scan services free of cost.
All the CT machines are of 16 slice and GE make. The CT Scan machine installed are product of Make in India initiative of Hon’ble Prime minister and are being installed in the government segment on such a large scale for the first time in the country.
All X- Ray machines available at government health institution (PHC/CHC/DH) will be connected through Tele Radiology. The X- Ray image will be captured by the Radiographer and will be transmitted to Hub through Tele Radiology. The Radiologist available at the Hub will analyze the image and will write report electronically. The report will be transmitted back to the concerned health institution and the patient will receive digital X- Ray image along with report prescribed by a Radiologist. All the patients of government health institutions (PHC/CHC/DH) will be provided X- ray service free of cost.
A total 99 health institutions have been selected which will be connected through Teleradiology.72 centers are operational and rest will be operational very soon.
Laboratory services at DH/CHC/PHC will be provided free of cost to all through Hub and Spoke model. District Laboratory (Hub) will be set up at 28 district hospitals. These laboratories will be equipped with State of the art technology and equipments. Sample from all the health institutions will be collected and transported to district laboratory (Hub). At the Hub sample will be analyzed and report will be communicated (electronically as well as hard copy) to the respective health institution. The patient will receive report next day.
Normal case report will be provided within 24 hours and emergency within 3 hours. A total of 56 nos of tests will be covered under the Chief Minister’s Free Diagnostic Services.
