Bengal's health sector on right track, say private hospitals

With the addition of 25,000 hospital beds and increase in health budget by five times in West Bengal, private hospitals feel that health sector is on the verge of a turnaround in the state.
"Just look at the statistics on the kind of infrastructure which we have built up in the last few years. Health costs have reduced for the poor due to various schemes launched by the government. Health service availability has improved a lot," Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals CEO Dr Rupali Basu told PTI.
Private healthcare providers were working with the government to showcase the success of the state in the health sector during the Bengal Global Business Summit, which starts tomorrow.

During the last 4-5 years, sick newborn care units have increased to 45 from six, indoor treatment and medicines in all government hospitals have been made free for the poor.
A number of fair price diagnostic centres have been set up, which provide services at discounted rates and even for free when it comes to poor patients.
To subsidise health and built infrastructure, plan expenditure out of state budget has been increased by five times to Rs 5159.86 crore during 2011-2015.
Harsh Lodha, chairman, Birla Corporation Ltd, which runs few hospitals including the super-speciality Belle Vue Clinic, says statistics speak for itself.

"I will say that services at government hospitals are now at par with the private sector. It is a big success of the state government," Lodha said.