Army signs agreement with Assam government for treatment of ex-servicemen at medical colleges

GUWAHATI: The Indian Army on Thursday signed an agreement with the Assam government to offer Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) at eight medical college and hospitals in the state.

Defence spokesperson Lt Col Mahender Rawat said the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare has approved the empanelment of government medical colleges in Assam with the ECHS. "Memorandum of Agreements were signed between the Indian Army authorities and eight government medical colleges and hospitals," he said in a statement.

In an honour to our soldiers, Medical Education & Research Dept, GoA signed an MoA with Regional Centre (Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) Guwahati for treatment of ex-servicemen in 8 medical college & hospitals and all cancer centres under Assam Cancer Care Foundation. pic.twitter.com/PGqE8jE2fS

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 5, 2023

The ECHS benefits will be offered at the medical college and hospitals in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Jorhat, Barpeta, Tezpur, Diphu and North Lakhimpur. This understanding will facilitate the cashless and capless treatment of almost 1.12 lakh beneficiaries. Unlike other schemes, this scheme covers all types of diseases.

The agreements were signed in presence of chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma; Eastern command, general ffficer, Commanding-in-Chief, Lt Gen RP Kalita, state ministers, senior Army and civil officials. The Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), which is an Assam government and TATA Trust initiative, has also been empanelled with ECHS, Lt Col Rawat said.

The ten units of ACCF located at the medical colleges will provide cashless and capless service in Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) rates to ex-servicemen and their dependents of Assam and other states of the Northeast. "This will be a major relief to veterans and their families as this will remove the hardship of cancer patients travelling outside the state for treatment," the official said.