Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury
Part-II
Special Gono Shasthya Insurance (public health insurance) for low-income working families
From June 2021, Gonoshasthya Nogor hospital has introduced Special Gono Shasthya Insurance (public health insurance) policy for rickshaw pullers, van pullers, peddlers, and small footpath shop keepers’ families at a monthly premium of Tk 200. The number of Special Gono Shasthya Insurance recipient family is about three thousand. If the number can be raised to ten thousand, it will almost be a self-funded project. Otherwise, this project will have to be continued with financial support and subsidy.
The policyholder working families get special benefits under Special Gono Shasthya Insurance coverage. In a Special Gono Shasthya Insurance recipient family, rickshaw pullers / van pullers/ peddlers/ small shopkeepers and their spouses, children and elderly parents are covered. They are given identity cards similar to NID card and a Special Gono Shasthya Insurance book. Efforts are being made to stop them from smoking and drinking and to send their children to school regularly.
There is a system of depositing money in Gono Shasthya credit cooperative so that the drivers can own the vehicle by saving money. To be an owner of rickshaw/van, by depositing 50 taka daily for 6 months, a rickshaw puller can take a loan of 9000 taka (his own savings) and 15000 taka from bank (Gono Shasthya credit cooperative) for buying a rickshaw/van. Later, the rickshaw puller will repay the bank loan in one year. Being a rickshaw/van owner, he does not have to pay 100 taka per day for rickshaw rental to the garage owner. Pulling a rickshaw is a very hard physical work; for this reason, he has to eat several times a day to gain strength. In addition, rickshaw pullers, hawkers and small shopkeepers have to pay a fixed amount (as bribe) to the police and local bullies every day. They spend a lot on smoking and drinking. Family nutrition is improved. Even after repaying the loan, they continue to save 100 taka daily so that their children could study at Gono Bishwabidyalay in future.
Obtainable medical facilities from special Gonoshasthya Insurance
15 types of health service irrespective of high charge or free of charge. They are consultancy of physicians and facility from health assistants during 24 hours per day at Gonoshasthya Nagar Hospital, admission opportunity at Gonoshasthya Nagar Hospital without the charge of a seat, admitted patients are not required to pay oxygen charge, both outdoor and indoor patients get filtered drinking water free of cost, they do not need to purchase extra bottled water, ear, eye and dental check-up, body weight and blood pressure measurement, finger and toe nails cutting, consultancy and treatment of fire burnt and injured patients due to accidents in the emergency department, family planning method services except Menstrual Regulation, circumcision for children, pre-delivery and post-delivery services for pregnant woman and free blood transfusion facility except the price of bag of the blood.
(Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury is founder and Trustee of Ganoswasthya Kendra).
— To be continued.
