On demand, new Amma health scheme package by Sept

The State Health department has granted approval to the new health package that would be priced at Rs 4000.

The Amma whole body check-up and the Amma women’s special check-up schemes were launched in March 2016 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital as part of the first phase, and was extended to the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in June 2018. Over 12,000 patients have so far been screened under the scheme.

With three health packages made available under the Amma whole body check-up scheme, namely Gold at Rs 1,000, Diamond at Rs. 2,000, and Platinum at Rs 3,000, Dr Ananda Kumar, the nodal officer at TNGMSSH said, “Based on the feedback forms received from the patients, we noticed that around 90 percent of the patients prefer the Platinum package. We analysed that a large number of patients demanded eye check-up, cardiac stress test and lung check-up”.

“With a rise in non-communicable diseases, a large number of people seek treadmill test, lung condition test, while an eye check-up is necessary after one reaches the age of 50 years. So, we realised that there is a need for a comprehensive scheme. The State Health department instantly approved the proposal to add these tests as part of the programme named as package Platinum Plus worth Rs. 4,000,” said Dr Ananda.

Hospital authorities are in the process of procuring equipment from the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, including three treadmills, spirometry machines and eye check-up equipment, sources said.

A treadmill test involves walking on a treadmill when the activity of the heart will be monitored to detect abnormal rhythms and diagnose coronary artery diseases. The spirometry test is done to monitor and diagnose certain lung conditions by measuring the amount of air one can breathe out in one forced breath.

“We are undertaking civil works in the hospital to accommodate enough number of machines so that people do not have to spend much time waiting for their turn. A total amount of about Rs 8 lakh has been allocated for the procurement of machines and other civil works, and we will be launching the services for public by next month,” said Dr Ananda.