ESIS to enrol private practioners, as it expands to Vadodara district, "benefit" 80,000 workers

Jagdish Patel

By A Representative
The Employees' State Insurance Scheme (ESIS) has decided to enrol private practioners to "overcome" the scarcity of doctors following its decision to expand its wings in Vadodara district. According to ESIS, in all, 80,000 workers of the district would benefit from the scheme, which would require 1.75% contribution from workers' salary and 4.75% from the industrial units where they work. All the workers who salary is Rs 21,000 or less would be enrolled in ESIS.
Prominent health rights activist Jagdish Patel of the Peoples Training & Research Centre, Vadodara, even as welcoming the ESIS decision, said, Vadodara and its adjoining areas lack quality and affordable health services, resulting in people being asked to rush the Siyaji Hospital in Vadodara in case of any serious disease. It has also been found that, often, workers are at the mercy of private practioners, who charge huge sums for any treatment.

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