The requirement for facial identification of an accident victim to claim relief under the PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment) Scheme has been removed, informed Dakshina Kannada District Health and Family Welfare Officer (DHO) H.R. in Mangaluru on Thursday.

At a meeting chaired by Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader here recently, health department officials said several accident victims in the district had been denied relief as it was difficult to carry out facial recognition of the victim, which was mandatory to claim relief under the scheme.

Under the scheme, an accident victim was entitled to treatment of up to Rs. 1.5 lakh for seven days in a hospital. In the absence of facial recognition, victims were getting free treatment for only 48 hours, officials pointed out.

The DHO said Mr. Khader held a meeting in Bengaluru with the officials concerned, and a decision was taken to remove the facial identification norm.

He said when an accident victim is brought to a hospital, the doctor concerned has to enter the details of the victim in an electronic detailed accident register. The entry must be made within 24 hours of the victim’s admission to the hospital. For victims in critical condition, 48 hours have been allowed. In this register, a doctor must certify that the person was an accident victim. Soon after the entry, intimation goes to the police and other departments concerned.

Dr. Thimmaiah said under the scheme, treatment costs will be reimbursed to hospitals digitally through the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. For insured vehicles, the treatment fund will be sourced from general insurance companies. In hit-and-run cases and those involving uninsured vehicles, the cost will be directly covered under the Union government’s budgetary allocation.

The DHO said only nine accident victims from Dakshina Kannada have so far claimed relief under the PM RAHAT Scheme.