Jaipur: Patients in Rajasthan will not have to pay for certain essential diagnostic tests in government hospitals with the launch of `free medical tests` scheme from Sunday.
"The scheme is being launched on the occasion of World Health Day tomorrow at all the medical college hospitals and district hospitals across the state," Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday.
"We conducted trial for the scheme from April 1 and it was successful. There were difficulties in implementing such programmes but the government is well prepared and lakhs of people will be benefited with the scheme," Gehlot said at a press conference here.
In the first phase of the scheme from tomorrow, the Chief Minister informed, 57 types of common essential tests will be available for free at the medical college hospitals whereas district hospitals, sub divisional hospitals and satellite hospitals will offer 44 types of free testing.
The second phase will begin on July 1, Doctor`s Day, under which 28 types of tests will be free at Community Health Centres (CHC), and under the third phase, from August 15, 15 types of tests will be made free at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and dispensaries.
Gehlot claimed that free medicines scheme, which was introduced on October 2, 2011, has delivered encouraging result and as many as 8 crore patients have been benefited since its launch.
Under this scheme, 600 types of common essential generic medicines are being distributed free in the government hospitals.
Gehlot said that his government has successfully implemented 65 schemes in the interest of people and has taken several steps in social security.
"Rajasthan is emerging as a pioneer state in the country with so many steps and programmes for social security and other sectors," he said.
PTI
