Senior veterans get major relief after the government has introduced a new scheme, known as the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), to deliver medicines to their doorsteps. This transfer is expected to benefit thousands of retired armed forces members, especially those residing in remote and mountainous areas, where healthcare facilities would be hard to access.
The doorstep medical delivery service has been launched to ensure better access to medical services for eligible beneficiaries. This facility is mainly for the benefit of ex-servicemen aged 70 years and above, war-disabled veterans and other specially designated beneficiaries of the ECHS. The program allows pharmacists to order and provide medications that are not available at their local ECHS polyclinic directly to the veterans’ home, if they qualify.
Some formalities will have to be properly done to avail of the service, officials said. They have to register themselves in the ECHS scheme with a valid prescription from an authorized ECHS doctor and update their personal and address information in the ECHS database. Medicine will be delivered from the respective ECHS polyclinic as per the request.
The campaign is likely to have a special impact in the state of Uttarakhand, which has a large number of ex-servicemen. Elderly persons and those with mobility problems are at particular risk of being unable to access medicines during emergencies if they live in places that are rural and mountainous, where the distances to be covered to collect medicines are long. The new system has been established to alleviate such difficulties and provide continuous access to the essential medicines.
The move has been welcomed by the veterans’ groups as an important step towards the provision of better healthcare for veteran soldiers. They said the scheme will result in savings of time and travel costs and would be more convenient for the senior citizens.
Healthcare professionals also feel that the timely availability of medicines can have a significant impact on the management of chronic conditions and enhance the quality of life of senior people. The government’s goal through the direct delivery of medicines to beneficiaries is to increase support services for veterans and provide an efficient delivery system for healthcare.
The doorstep medicine delivery centre is part of the government’s continued focus on improving the welfare of ex-servicemen. Authorities have urged eligible beneficiaries to reach out to their nearest ECHS polyclinic to get precise details on the registration process, prescriptions, and how they can get medicines at home.
