ESIC set to establish 10 new medical schools across India

NEW DELHI: The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) plans to open ten new medical schools around India in an effort to improve healthcare for its members in underprivileged areas. Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya revealed this idea, which was previously agreed in principle at the 194th meeting of ESIC.
These colleges are to be located in Pune, Manesar, Kollam, Surat, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Asansol, Nagpur, Pandunagar, and Margaon. The existing authorized medical schools in Andheri, Basaidarapur, Guwahati-Beltola, Indore, Jaipur, Ludhiana, Naroda-Bapunagar, Noida, Varanasi, and Ranchi will be complemented by these additions.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and ESIC are attempting to merge their services in a parallel program. The current cap on medical costs will be lifted, enabling ESIC beneficiaries to receive cashless care at hospitals across India that are PMJAY-empaneled. For insured individuals, this measure is anticipated to improve accessibility and establish uniformity, especially in regions without ESIC-run facilities.
In order to guarantee accountability and openness in the administration of its institutions, the corporation is also implementing reforms. The new medical schools are anticipated to raise the benchmark for public medical education in India by adhering to contemporary norms in patient care and instruction, as well as having strong facilities and knowledgeable professors.
Although the approval in principle is an important step, comprehensive project reports, land identification, finance sources, and building schedules have not yet been finalized. To speed up the foundation, the Union Labour Ministry is supposed to liaise with the relevant state governments and interested parties.