HYDERABAD: In a new initiative to provide maternal and child healthcare at an affordable cost, the first of the LifeSpring Hospital network in the country was launched at a semi-urban locale, Moulali, near here, by Union Health Secretary P. K. Hota on Saturday.

Established jointly by Hindustan Latex Ltd and Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust, it will be a part of the of high quality hospitals for providing quality healthcare. HLL and HLFPPT have chalked out an ambitious plan to set up such hospitals in more than 500 districts by 2010.

The Moulali hospital will charge Rs.1,500 for a normal delivery and Rs.3,100 for a Caeserian.

Partnership

Under a multi-layered franchising model, full-fleded first-level hospitals, such as the one opened on Saturday, will be set up at Kanpur in a month and in 18 other States subsequently. This will be complemented by second level health services through public-private partnership. Describing it as "something revolutionary", Mr. Hota said only about 20-25 per cent of health assets were in public sector. Only 2-3 per cent of PHCs and 23 per cent of community health centres were being utilised. He called for involvement of the private sector in public health projects through partnership.

Later Mr. Hota told reporters that the LifeSpring network was aimed at catering to the needs of at least 10 per cent of those served by the private sector. About 200 second level franchisee health centres were planned in two years.

M. Ayyappan, HLL managing director, and G. Manoj, CEO, HLFPPT, spoke.

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