The State government will set up two new dispensaries for the benefit of the employees registered under the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) in Shivamogga.
At present, there are two ESIC dispensaries in the district — one at Shivamogga and another at Bhadravati. In Sagar, a medical practitioner has been entrusted with the responsibility of providing treatment to ESIC registered employees.
It was a long-standing demand of the workers here to establish a multi-speciality ESIC hospital with 100-bed capacity in Shivamogga and to grant additional dispensaries for the district. As there is no in-patient facility at the existing dispensaries, the workers covered under ESIC with serious health problems in the district are referred to private empanelled hospitals for treatment. The State government on November 5 passed an order to establish two new ESIC dispensaries in Shivamogga, one on the New Tirthahalli Road and another on Sagar Road. The government has sanctioned 40 new posts for these dispensaries, including six doctors. It has been planned to establish the hospitals in rented buildings. The government has directed Senior Medical Commissioner of ESIC to identify suitable buildings for the purpose.
Meanwhile, many labour leaders have urged the government to establish a multi-speciality ESIC hospital in Shivamogga at the earliest.
H. Nataraj, president of the Shimoga Khasagi Noukarara Kshemabhivruddhi Sangha, an association for the welfare of private sector workers, has said that as more than 40,000 workers in the district came under the purview of ESIC, it was necessary to establish a multi-speciality ESIC hospital with 100-bed capacity here. Raja Saheb, vice-president of the sangha, said that at present, there were delays in clearing the medical bills submitted after getting the treatment at private empanelled hospitals.
Shivashankar, vice-president of the district unit of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said that as the state-of-the-art ESIC hospital established by the Union government in Gulbarga became functional last year. It was establish a similar healthcare facility here, he said.
