THE absence of a ESIC hospital in industrial areas is causing significant distress among industrial workers, who are left vulnerable to medical emergencies and everyday health challenges. The Hingna MIDC area, home to over 1,300 industries and thousands of employees is no different, it is in desperate need of a fully functional Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospital, said P Mohan, President, MIDC Industries Association (MIA). He further said that the Hingna MIDC area lacks even basic ESIC dispensaries or hospitals within its vicinity. Workers requiring immediate medical attention face life-threatening delays due to the unavailability of nearby healthcare facilities in Hingna MIDC.

 

The closest ESIC hospital is located nearly 10 kilometers away and is in a deplorable condition. This alarming situation is compounded by the absence of round-the-clock emergency services or well-equipped mobile ambulances. In cases of accidents or medical crises, workers are left to fend for themselves, often with disastrous outcomes. Industrial workers and their dependents, even when insured, are frequently denied treatment unless they provide a “service continuation certificate” from their employers if they have not availed of ESIC benefits in the past six months. This is despite the fact that ESIC dispensaries have access to real-time employment records through the Live List system. “Such bureaucratic red tape adds unnecessary stress to already overburdened workers, undermining the very purpose of ESIC’s existence,” he mentioned. In this regard, MIA delegation has given a memorandum to the ESIC office, Nagpur and Regional Officer, MIDC, recently, demanding allocation of land within Hingna MIDC for a 10 bed ESIC hospital.The MIA delegation has also demanded introduction of round-the-clock emergency services, including mobile ambulances. Apart from this, the local authorities should streamline the reimbursement process for medical expenses to ensure timely compensation. Removal of service continuation certificate requirement and ensuring accountability for pending dues to super-specialty hospitals under ESIC tie-ups. “It is imperative that higher authorities, including the ESIC leadership and the Industries Commissioner, act swiftly and decisively. The workforce of Hingna MIDC cannot afford further delays or neglect in addressing this critical issue,” P Mohan added.