Dear Brig Kuthiala
1. Six years have gone by, the ECHS has many problems. The scheme which was to improve the quality of health care of ESM and reduce burden on the service hospitals has ended up causing harassment and inconvenience to ESM. You are aware that as per our terms and condition, the ESM and his spouse are to be provided health care by the Govt (Service hospitals) till we go away from this world. ECHS gave benefits for dependent parents and children. If surgical measures are not adopted, we will end up in chaotic situation. I wish to quote one example. On Saturday 12 Sep 2009 I and my wife happened to go to RR. What I saw and went through does not behove well for ESM health care. The RR has refused to accept ESM, even those who were already under treatment at RR. They say, we should go to empanelled hospitals. You all are aware, all good hospitals have withdrawn from the ECHS for non payment of bills and other reasons. If RR does not accept ESM, where will they go? Secondly the procedure for getting RR referral and with in RR is too tedious.
2. Friends, as one grows old, the need for health care increases. It is the ESM in large numbers who would need to visit medical establishments for health care. If good civil hospitals are not coming forth and military hospitals like RR, Base hospitals and other military hospital don’t accept ESM, where are we going to go?
3. Brig Kuthila, IESM came to being only when other organizations were not able to address issues for the welfare of ESM. Let us not worry about what other ESM organisatiions will do. Let us delver and build up ESM confidence in IESM. If we succeed in doing so, all ESM will start looking up to IESM. Any positive suggestions will have to be accepted by the ECHS MD, the service HQs, MOD and the Govt.
4. Let us go ahead and prepare a good paper on ECHS and take up the issues on Op Immediate Basis.
With Kind Regards,
Jai Hind
Yours Sincerely,
Maj Gen (Retd) Satbir Singh, SM
Vice Chairman Indian ESM Movement
Mobile: 9312404269, 0124-4110570
Email : satbirsm@yahoo.com
