Objective of the Scheme:

To provide accessible and quality healthcare services to the tea garden workers and their families, Government of Assam implemented the “PPP with Tea Garden Hospital” scheme in Assam under the umbrella of National Health Mission, Assam. It is a joint initiative where an agreement is signed between tea garden hospital and National Health Mission, Assam for providing basic health care service to the marginalized tea communities of the state.

Focus:

The initiative focuses on improving primary healthcare service, developing infrastructure of the health facility, offering free medicines, awareness campaign, taken care of communicable and non communicable diseases with referral service in the  tea garden and its adjoining area.

The scheme was launched in the year 2007-08 in Assam. Initially 50 tea garden hospitals were brought under the PPP mode and gradually the remaining tea estates. Presently 183 tea garden hospitals of 16 districts are covered.

The focused areas of the scheme are-

1. Contractual engagement of doctors and paramedic staff in tea garden hospitals in addition to the existing manpower of the hospitals.
2. To provide maternal and child health care,
3. Basic laboratory services,
4. Emergency services,
5. Referral services,
6. Taken care of communicable and non-communicable diseases
7. Developing of existing infrastructure in the tea garden hospitals.

Funding:

In recent years an amount of Rs.08.00 lakh is provided to each tea garden hospital under PPP as central assistance in two instalments.

1. 1st instalment is provided in signing of MoU and
2. 2nd instalment is being released after submission of utilization report of 1st instalment.

Benefits:

The financial assistance is beneficial in renovating the existing hospital infrastructure, purchasing equipment, consumables, laboratory supplies etc. to improve the service delivery in the facility.

In addition:  

1. Free drugs are provided under the scheme “Extension of Free Drugs Scheme to all Tea Garden Hospitals of the State of Assam” implemented by the Govt. of Assam as per case load of the hospitals at the scale of PHC level EDL (Essential Drug List).

2. An Ambulance is also given to each tea garden hospital of PPP mode for referral service purpose.

Conclusion:

Inclusion of tea garden hospitals under PPP with NHM, Assam highlights the intention of the Govt. of Assam to offer better health care and medical facilities to the workers and non-workers of tea gardens and its adjoining areas.

NHM, Assam is aiming to cover more numbers of tea garden hospitals in near future.

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