To facilitate the initiative, the Delhi government has released trauma care guidelines to hospitals in the state, in order to protect the rights of and guarantee treatment to those admitted after experiencing trauma.
“Under the Farishte Dilli Ke scheme, it is mandatory for private hospitals to provide cashless treatment of medico-legal victims of road accidents, acid-attack and thermal-burn injuries,” a government official said. “To ensure the information of this scheme reaches the beneficiaries, the health department has directed all private hospitals and nursing homes in the city to put up permanent information boards on their premises at three prominent locations.”
In emergency and trauma care, a ‘golden hour’ is recognised wherein treatment is necessary to improve patient outcomes. To this end, the Delhi government guarantees treatment free of costs to trauma care patients. It also recognises Good Samaritans, whom the state government designates as a ‘farishti’ [angel].
“Refusal of such medico-legal cases by private hospitals and nursing homes would be a punishable offence and the government will initiate suspension of the certificate against the hospital if such a case is reported,” the official added.
“Cashless treatment shall be provided to any eligible medico-legal victim of [a] road accident, where the incident has occurred in Delhi, in any hospital provided the victim is brought or referred or transferred to the concerned private hospital within 72 hours of the case.” Exemptions are granted only with prior agreement from the Delhi Arogya Khosh, which facilitates the cashless cover.
“The life of every citizen of Delhi is precious to us,” Kejriwal tweeted earlier this year. “We will not let the life of any road accident victim in Delhi due to lack of money. The one who takes the victim to the hospital will be called the Angel of Delhi.”
