Every hospital should give effective treatment to poor: Nadda(Lead)

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday urged all healthcare providers in the country to adopt a model in which people from the economically weaker sections (EWS) receive the best treatment at a reasonable cost.

He said though a lot of hospitals in the country were established with the avowed aim of providing equal treatment for the rich and the poor, the quality of treatment for the latter has diminished over time.

Addressing the 60th founder's day celebration of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital(SGRH), Nadda said, "Most of the Trust-run hospitals are in the names of good people and strong legacy. Some of them have lost sight of their goal and changed into profit-making organisations."

Appreciating the services of the SGRH for the poor, Nadda said that the hospital had continued with the good legacy since its establishment and is a role model for others to follow.

I feel that the healthcare model developed during the years by Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is unique and perhaps the only model which can be replicated elsewhere for the benefit of our population. Our ministry is studying this model," Nadda said urging all other medical institutions in the country to adopt the SGRH model.

The hospital was founded initially in 1921 at Lahore by Sir Ganga Ram (1851-1927), a civil engineer and leading philanthropist of his times.

After the partition in 1947, the present hospital was established in New Delhi.

According to the statistics given by the hospital, it had admitted 11,100 patients from the economically weaker sections in the last financial year and they were treated free of cost.

The statistics also say that over 52,000 slum dwellers were provided treatment by sending doctors and medicines at their door-step.

Ashok Chandra, chairman , Sir Ganga Ram Trust society during the occasion raised the issue of service tax on doctors and clinicians, who were assured by the health minister of proper solution for the problem.

"To maintain the quality of treatment at our hospital, we are very particular in selecting talented consultants at junior level. We also provide lively and vibrant environment for the growth of young consultants and these consultants attain eminence in their respective fields by the time they occupy senior positions. However at the same time, we continue lateral entry of eminent consultants from India and abroad," said D.S.Rana, chairman, board of management, SGRH.