THELIGHTOFANDAMANS: Air Subsidy to Stretcher Patients

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Air Subsidy to Stretcher Patients

THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | VOL 36 | ISSUE 01 | 01 OCT 2012

Air Subsidy to Stretcher Patients

The Lt. Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands has accorded approval for implementation of the scheme "Air subsidy to stretcher patients" in this Union Territory with immediate effect.

The scheme has been formulated to help the stretcher patients of the general public (excluding Govt. servants and their dependents) who need air evacuation to mainland for super specialized treatment, not available at GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair. The air subsidy shall be extended to stretcher patient towards the amount of air fare paid/payable by the patient for evacuation from the island, on referral, in excess of the airfare for single seat. In addition subsidy shall also be provided for purchase of bunk class return tickets by ship for patient and the concerned attendant.

Air evacuation will be allowed for patients requiring emergency treatment only, not available in the islands, and which will be certified by concerned Specialist, Medical Superintendent, G B Pant Hospital and the Director of Health Services. No elective surgery cases will be referred by air. Patients will be referred to the Govt/Govt empanelled hospitals only. Air evacuation will not be allowed for follow up treatment.

In case of stretcher patients, Air India charges 6 times basic fares (including one time tax) against offering 9 seats to the patients. In addition, it charges lowest available air fare for each accompanying attendant. Hence, financial assistance under the scheme will be provided for purchase of air fares from Air India.

However, in urgent cases of evacuation by air, when Air India flights/tickets are unavailable, financial assistance would be provided for purchase of air tickets in private airline flights. Presently, private airlines charge 9 basic fares (plus maximum of four times tax) for the patients and up to 03 attendants.

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About The Light of Andamans

The Light of Andamans’ was born out of the zeal and determination to fight against the suffocating Kafkaesque atmosphere on the society that existed even after 30 years of Independence under bureaucratic rule. It was a hangover of the ‘Raj’that extended much too long in the Islands.

The Light of Andamans’ was started in 1975. The paper had always been a crusader, taking up the causes that no other newspaper would touch. In doing so, it very often stepped on the toes of the authorities and had to face persecution in the form of denial of advertisements and numerous court cases against it. For a small stint, the publication came to a halt in 2003.

Gezira Publications Private Limited took over the paper in the year 2005 and transferred the title in a bid to revive the second oldest newsmagazine from extinction and also to carry forward the mission.

The Newsmagazine, under the new management, has undergone a sea change both in form and content. It turned into a full-fledged tabloid with 10 pages with plenty of photographs making both pleasing to the eyes and soothing for the mind. “It has acquired a position where it influences the policies in vital matters concerning the development of the islands, protection of aboriginal tribes and addressing the problems of the disadvantaged groups. The newsmagazine is known and appreciated for its bold, free, fair and balanced reporting.”

Late Govinda Raju and his team worked very hard to rebuild the reputation, goodwill and a healthy new image of the newsmagazine brick by brick. After the demise of Mr Raju in 2010, the magazine is now being edited by Zubair Ahmed and published by Basudev Dass. The newsmagazine continues its mission of highlighting policy issues pertaining to the Islands.