Army mulls revamp of ex-servicemen clinics

The army is mulling to shut medical clinics for its ex-servicemen under its southern command and instead assign military hospitals there for their treatment.

“The undersigned has been detailed as the Presiding officer of Board of Officers (BoF) to examine the capacity of military hospitals in the Southern Command Area of Responsibility and recommend closure if the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics located in the same station where military hospitals can take over the load of veterans,” a letter dated July 22 issued by the Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area (Medical) said.

There are about 150 polyclinics under the southern command. Explaining the reason behind the move, the command perceived that although the number of patients and bed occupancy in most of the military hospitals is low, veterans are still referred to empanelled hospitals.

This would result, “in under utilisation of the capacity of military hospitals and avoidable drain on the exchequer.”

The letter states that a detailed justification should be given in case the closing of co-located polyclinics is not recommended.

“Similarly, if closing of co-located ECHS polyclinics is recommended by you, please confirm whether the additional load can be catered for within the existing resources or additional resources in the form of manpower, equipment, infrastructure, fund allocations required, especially to take care of the responsibilities of the OIC (read as Officer-in-Charge) polyclinics,” reads the letter.

The letter has been addressed to the Command Hospital and the military hospitals in the Southern Command, besides being sent to the ECHS regional centres and different formations there. The military hospitals come under the Command Hospital.

The feedback is required through Army Wide Area Network (AWAN) at the earliest but not later than July 30, 2019, the letter stated.