We contribute towards ESIC but are forced to get treatment at private hospitals, cry labours at Mohali MSMEs

Mohali, Feb 14 (KNN) The ESIC Hospitals in Mohali, who get a whopping Rs 10 crore fund as contributions from 600 factories in the district, have failed to provide basic treatment to the labours covered under ESIC scheme.

The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region have appealed at all levels to put up the issue but all their efforts have gone in vein so far.

The MSMEs have approached Labour Minister, ESIC top officials, state government, central government etc but their issues are yet to be addresses.

While the ESIC Hospital at Mohali lacks facilities, poor patients are forced to get treatment in other hospitals.

Talking to KNN, Jasbir Singh, Chairman, Labour Laws Committee, Mohali Industries Association (MIA), said, “A poor factory worker, Rama Shankar (30), who sustained serious eye injury, while doing his duty yesterday, alleged that he had to pay nearly Rs 20,000 from his pocket as ESIC doctors referred his case to government hospitals in Chandigarh.”

Rama Shankar, claimed that he was covered under the ESIC scheme, lamented that he was admitted to the eye hospital in Sohana for immediate operation to save his eye as the concerned doctor in ESIC Hospital was on leave.

Rama Shankar alleged that if his treatment had taken place at ESIC, he would not have to spend a single penny.

Jasbir Singh, who is also an advocate of Rama Shankar, said the poor labour has been paying 6.5 per cent from his wages as contribution to ESIC per month. “Now my client will have to wait for nearly two years to get reimbursement of his expenses on treatment.”

Singh said thousands of medical reimbursement bills of insured persons were lying pending at the ESIC Hospital in Mohali for the last more than one year.

He elaborate, “We have 600 factories in Mohali which are covered under the ESI schemes employing more than 2 lakh workers, who are contributing to ESIC fund every month from their wages @ 6.5 % (1.75 from workers and 4.75from employers). Approximately Rs. 10 crore is being deposited in ESIC fund every month by the employers. It is pre-paid scheme.”

He said, “One has to pay every month. But when any one of the insured persons under the ESIC scheme met with an accident or with an emergency he goes to ESIC hospital Mohali for his medical treatment, but instead of getting treatment, they are being referred to government hospitals which are far away from the ESIC hospital.”

He said, “Workers have to incur all expenditures from their own pockets for their medical treatment. Even ambulance facilities are not available for insured workers. These workers have to wait years together for their medical reimbursement bills.”

Jasbir Singh revealed, : As per balance sheet of ESIC for the year 2014-15, which is available on ESIC site - ESIC contributions income Rs 10867.14 crore; Expenditures etc Rs 7510.65 crore; and Net profit – Rs 3356.49 crore.” (KNN Bureau)