Around 2.7 lakh registered construction workers in Delhi are likely to get access to free healthcare services under a new health scheme before the end of this year. The Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has started the process to implement the Delhi Building Workers Health Scheme. The scheme aims to provide timely medical care to workers who face occupational risks and harsh weather conditions while working at construction sites.

Under the proposed scheme, every registered beneficiary will be eligible for medical treatment worth up to ₹2 lakh in a financial year. The maximum healthcare cover for a family will be ₹10 lakh. The package will include diagnostic tests, medicines and hospitalisation. Workers and their families will not have to make upfront payments when they receive treatment at empanelled hospitals.

The scheme will offer 24x7 medical assistance along with free outpatient and inpatient treatment. Workers will also receive annual health check-ups. These screenings will be available to workers and their spouses. OPD and IPD treatment will cover all eligible members of a beneficiary’s family.

The welfare board plans to appoint an agency to implement and manage the health scheme. The agency will create a network of empanelled hospitals, clinics and diagnostic laboratories across Delhi. It will also establish at least six laboratories in the city to process samples collected during annual health screenings.

The agency will have to provide beneficiaries with physical copies of their test reports within seven working days. The scheme will also maintain digital health records for beneficiaries. Their electronic medical records will be accessible through a central cloud-based dashboard developed for the welfare board. This system is expected to help maintain and access medical information in a more organised manner.

Another key part of the scheme will be the deployment of mobile medical vans at construction sites and other designated locations. These vans will carry first-aid supplies, essential medicines and basic medical equipment. They will also have basic life-support facilities and nurses.

The nurses will assess workers who are injured or fall ill at construction sites. They will provide immediate medical assistance and arrange referrals to the nearest empanelled hospital when required. The mobile vans will operate for 8-10 hours every day. Each van is expected to serve around 80 to 100 beneficiaries.

The mobile medical units will also help create awareness about the health scheme among construction workers. They will visit construction sites and inform workers about the healthcare services available to them under the programme.

The scheme also has provisions for emergency situations, including accidents at construction sites. Workers can seek treatment at the nearest non-empanelled hospital in exceptional cases. Such hospitals may be provisionally treated as empanelled hospitals for the limited period and purpose of emergency treatment. This provision is intended to ensure that workers can receive immediate care when an empanelled hospital is not easily accessible.

For planned and eligible treatment, beneficiaries will receive cashless inpatient care at empanelled hospitals. The treatment will be available in general wards or rooms as part of the healthcare package. The cashless system will allow eligible workers and their families to access covered services without making payments at the hospital at the time of treatment.

The Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has also proposed a project monitoring committee to oversee the administration and scheme implementation. It will monitor how the programme is being carried out and help ensure that the planned healthcare services reach registered construction workers and their families.