Pankaj Kumar Sharma Criticizes New RGHS Rule for Mandatory Live Photos and Fingerprints

Udaipur: Pankaj Kumar Sharma, General Secretary and Spokesperson of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee, has condemned the new requirement under the Rajasthan Health Scheme (RGHS) for patients to provide live photos and fingerprints, calling it insensitive and impractical. He stated that this rule is causing significant distress to elderly, disabled, and seriously ill patients.

Sharma explained that senior citizens, who are unable to walk or move, are being called to the hospital merely to prove their identity. Patients suffering from paralysis or severe illnesses are being forced to go through unnecessary procedures every month just to receive their medications. This not only increases their physical discomfort but also worsens their condition due to delays in getting the required medicine. Patients who cannot get their prescriptions filled are unable to receive treatment. Additionally, the cost of traveling to the hospital often exceeds the price of the medication itself, putting a financial strain on patients and their families.

Sharma pointed out that the previous Gehlot government in Rajasthan had implemented a cashless and paperless system under RGHS and the Chiranjeevi Scheme, making healthcare services more accessible and efficient. However, the current BJP government has introduced new and complex procedures with the intention of obstructing these schemes, resulting in more difficulties for the common people.

He further criticized the BJP government for ignoring the welfare of the public and said that mandatory live photos and fingerprints only promote bureaucratic paperwork, complicating the treatment process. This, he argued, is a reflection of the government's insensitivity, which seems focused only on sabotaging the success of welfare programs.

Sharma demanded that the government immediately revoke this disorganized process and implement a more patient-friendly and humane system.