November 11: Contributors of Social Security Fund have had to suffer from a wrong message circulated on its website. The fund has mentioned on its website that it will bear the cost of treatment under the drug treatment scheme if the contributor receives treatment from the National Trauma Center in Kathmandu.

However, it has been found that SSF has not signed any agreement with the Trauma Centre to provide treatment to the contributors. Because of this glitch, the contributors visiting the Trauma Center for treatment have had to suffer unnecessary hassles.

The SSF has signed agreements with 17 hospitals across the country so far. As per the agreement, the contributors of SSF can get up to an 80 per cent discount for treatment cost up to Rs 25,000 a year from those hospital for OPD services.

A contributor who has been continuously contributing to the Social Security Fund for the past three years went to the Trauma Centre for treatment on Monday. He reached the Trauma Centre based on the information provided by the fund on its website. When he asked about the facilities available for treatment at the Trauma Centre, the hospital staff said they were unaware of it.

Then he met the Information Officer of the hospital Arjun Prasad Bhetwal. According to the contributor, Bhetwal also said that since the Trauma Center did not have such an agreement with the SSF, the facility could not be provided.

"Though we have signed such agreements with other agencies and have been providing treatment facilities, we have not reached an agreement with the Social Security Fund. However, the contributors of the fund keep coming to seek services,” said Bhetwal.

The Social Security Fund also admitted that it did not formally sign a contract with the Trauma Centre.

SSF spokesperson Vivek Panthi said if any patient receives treatment from the Trauma Centre, he should come to the SSF office along with the hospital bill to claim the payment because the fund has not reached an agreement with the Trauma Centre. The patients complain that such process is complicated.

The Social Security Fund has mentioned that 80 per cent of the annual treatment costs of up to Rs 25,000 in OPD and Rs 100000 for admission charge of the hospital under drug treatment and maternity protection services will be paid directly to the hospital where the patient is admitted and the remaining 20 per cent should be borne by the individual. There are currently 371,000 contributors and 17,400 employers registered with the SSF.