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Small drug units' plea on health insurers

Our Bureau

CALCUTTA, April 22

THE West Bengal Small-Scale Drug Manufacturers' and Traders' Association (WBSSDMTA) has urged the Centre to make health insurers provide the whole range of medical services.

In a recent communication to the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the association suggested that insures should run their own hospitals, ambulance, medical, pathological, diagnostic and nursing services. The correctness of pathological and diagn ostic test results should be guaranteed.

It said: ``In this case, our country should follow the example of advanced countries.''

Further, insurers should have tie-ups with other service providers for facilities such as blood banks. Insurers should strive for rural coverage and consider manufacturing 130 essential pharmacopeal drugs recommended by WHO.

The association urged insurers to introduce health cards among the insured. These cards should contain medical information such as blood group, blood pressure, pulse rate details and blood glucose status. Twenty per cent of these cards should be distribu ted free to the people below the poverty line.