AGNELO PEREIRA
MAPUSA
While the Centre has launched the world’s biggest healthcare scheme in the country on Sunday, a senior citizen in Goa has been running from pillar to post for almost two years to get his government approved mediclaim scheme.
The senior citizen, Antonio Fernandes of Carona, Aldona who underwent knee replacement in Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim has been unsuccessfully knocking the doors of government departments for nearly two years to get a reimbursement for his mediclaim.
Fernandes was diagnosed of having a condition which required total knee arthoplasty by Dr Zelio De Mello, Associate Professor, Orthopaedics at the GMC.
His operation was scheduled on October 14, 2016 at the GMC but a week before the operation he was informed that he would have to purchase the implant from outside, as it was not in stock at the GMC store.
“I borrowed money to purchase the implant costing Rs 75,000, as I was assured that the amount would be reimbursed within two to four weeks from the government’s mediclaim facility,” Fernandes said.
Soon after his discharge, Fernandes filed his mediclaim with relevant income certificates including prescriptions and receipts.
But to the senior citizen’s shock even after completing all paper work he was informed that his claim was incomplete, as it was not endorsed by the then Dean of GMC.
But the senior citizen’s horror story did not end there.
The dean refused to endorse his claim stating that the implant was “in stock” and was available to patients free of cost.
Even more shockingly, he was informed that there was no record of his stay or of his operation in the hospital.
All this when the patient had an authenticated discharge card which showed that he was operated in GMC and discharged by Dr Zelio De Mello who treated him.
Fernandes also approached Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane and met local MLA Glen Ticlo apprising them of his problem but to no avail.
“I met the health minister four to five times in his office and the Aldona MLA a couple of times. I lost count the number of times I visited the GMC and met the dean,” the senior citizen said while relating his heart-wrenching story.
As a last resort, the senior citizen approached the consumer conciliation committee in October 2017.
After almost 11 months, there seems to be some hope for the senior citizen, as on the instruction of the chairman of consumer conciliation committee, the Director of Health Services, Dr Sanjeev Dalvi in a letter issued on September 7, 2018 has directed the Medical Superintendent of GMC to countersign the medical certificate issued by the DHS to Fernandes so that he can avail the mediclaim.
But for the senior citizen even this letter inspires no hope.
“I have almost given up…Only God can help me now,” Fernandes said.
GOACAN, coordinator and a member of the consumer conciliation committee, Roland Martins said that a transparent system can help in avoiding such glaring hitches.
“All government departments should have a grievance redressal system in place so that people’s problems are resolved and senior citizens are not made to run from one department to another,” he said.
