HYDERABAD: The State Government is making efforts to replicate the West Bengal model of outsourcing certain diagnostic services in major Government hospitals.

It plans to invite private entrepreneurs to install state-of-the-art equipment in State-run hospitals and allow them to operate it.

"The Government will provide space for those willing to operate the equipment," Health Minister K. Rosaiah told reporters here on Tuesday.

"The services will be offered free of cost to white ration cardholders," he said, adding that the pink cardholders and others would have to pay nominal charges for the services.

"The rates will be much lesser than those charged by private diagnostic centres," he added.

Opinion gathered

The West Bengal Government had successfully implemented the practice over the last five years, he said, adding that the opinion of all the political parties had already been elicited.

A team of MLAs had visited West Bengal to study the functioning of these services.

He said the Government was trying its best to provide top quality medical equipment in the hospitals but their maintenance was becoming a problem.

"Once the private entrepreneurs agree to handle the services, patients will stand to benefit," he said.

Attacks on doctors

Mr. Rosaiah said another area of concern was the increasing attacks on doctors and para-medical staff in major Government hospitals. "Private security will be deployed to protect them. It is a matter of time before the guards are posted," he explained.

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