The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : NRI funds sought for healthcare upgrading

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 10, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

NRI funds sought for healthcare upgrading

Special Correspondent

Chennai: The State Health Department is seeking financial support from NRIs to upgrade health infrastructure that includes a Rs. 20-crore project to establish Human Patient Simulator Systems in four medical colleges.

The advanced systems which help diagnosis of autoimmune disorders are proposed at the Government General Hospital in Chennai, Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, Thanjavur Medical College Hospital and Coimbatore Medical College. NRI investments are also being sought for setting up Cathlabs in these medical colleges where cardiology units struggle to treat nearly 100 heart patients – mostly from low income strata – every day without cardiac catheterisation facility.

The estimated cost of installing Cathlabs is Rs. 39 crore.

Immunology laboratories are also proposed at the General Hospital in Chennai, Rajaji Hospital and Coimbatore Medical College at an estimated cost of Rs. 7crore.

Providing centralised oxygen supply equipment at major taluk hospitals to improve treatment of road accident, poisoning and cardiac emergencies is another important proposal being presented to NRIs.

The institutions to benefit are 26 hospitals (with bed strength above 120), 10 hospitals (bed strength of 100-120), 19 hospitals (bed strength in the 75-100 range) and 55 sub-district hospitals. Health Department officials are focused on impressing upon the potential NRI investor about the philanthropic nature that an investment in the State-run institutions, which serve as refuge for poor patients.

The department also seeks to engage NRIs in implementing the State policy of setting up one 30-bed hospital in each panchayat union with specialist doctors and modern equipment such as semi auto analyzer, ultrasound and Boyles Apparatus.

Of the PHCs in 385 blocks across the State, 255 PHCs in 227 blocks have been upgraded as 30-bed units and the Health Department is seeking overseas investments to upgrade PHCs in the remaining 158 blocks.

The PHCs awaiting an upgrade include those in Madurai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Erode, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Kancheepuram, Karur, Tuticorin, Krishnagiri, Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari, Namakkal and Sivaganga. The government is ready to provide land with the PHCs for construction of new buildings, requisite manpower and establishment expenses to operate the upgraded PHCs. In fact, it is willing even to name the PHC after the donor or a name he or she nominates.

Strengthening laboratories in sub-district hospitals (Rs. 13 crore) and NRI funds could also come in handy for the health department’s plans to equip sub-district hospitals with more than 50 beds with heavy duty washing machines.

The cost estimate of the initiative that seeks to strengthen the laundry services at these hospitals is about Rs. 13 crore.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu