Government hospitals' rental income to fund treatment of patients

Tribune News Service

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, February 5

The UT Health Department will utilise additional monthly income of around Rs 50 lakh generated from renting out six medical shops and a canteen in government hospitals on patient welfare activities. The health facilities include the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, and three Civil Hospitals at Sector 22, 45 and Mani Majra.

The canteen at the GMSH, Sector 16, was being operated by a family group for the past over 35 years. After the selection of a new agency through a fair and transparent bidding process, possession of the canteen has now been taken back from the previous agency.

Where amount will be spent

• Rent is collected from three chemist shops at GMSH-16, and one each at Civil Hospitals, Sec 22, 45 and Mani Majra under UT’s Rogi Kalyan Samiti scheme
• Money will be spent on treatment of patients suffering from trauma, stroke, etc. in Emergency for first 24 hours on request or in absence of attendant
• After 24 hrs, treatment to be given after recommendation from HoD and nod of higher authorities. Residents over 80 years will be given treatment free of cost at GMSH-16 on request

The newly selected agency will pay the hospital a monthly licence fee of Rs 11.70 lakh, almost double the fee being paid by the previous agency.

For the benefit of patients, the Health Department had opened three new chemist shops, including a Jan Aushadhi store, on the hospital premises after a fresh tender process. Earlier, a sole chemist had been running operations from the hospital premises at a mere Rs 3 lakh monthly rent for the past 29 years.

Will go towards ‘rogi kalyan’

Extra money generated from rental income will give us better opportunities to serve patients. We will utilise it on permissible activities for rogi kalyan. —Yashpal Garg, Health secy

“The additional chemist shops on the hospital premises will provide patients an option of procuring medicines from the chemist of their choice and this will also eliminate possible malpractices because of monopoly. The extra money generated from rental income will provide us better opportunities for the welfare of patients by utilising it on permissible activities for rogi kalyan,” says Yashpal Garg, UT Health Secretary.

The additional income generated from the chemist will be utilised on giving free treatment to patients of trauma, stroke and myocardial infarction admitted to the Emergency for the first 24 hours in case the patient/attendant makes a request for the same, irrespective of their income status or if there is no attendant.

After 24 hours, treatment should be given as per the criteria already being followed in the hospital i.e. after due recommendation from the head of the department concerned and approval of the Deputy Medical Superintendent (DMS), Medical Superintendent (MS) & Director Health Services (DHS).

Senior citizens, who are residents of UT and above 80 years, availing of health services at GMSH-16 will be given treatment free of cost in case the patient/attendant makes a request for the same, irrespective of their income status.

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