The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Government, GE Healthcare join hands to run Banavaram PHC

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Thursday, Jul 23, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Government, GE Healthcare join hands to run Banavaram PHC

Special Correspondent

Group of Asian American employees to contribute Rs.45 lakh

A key PPP initiative for State: Minister
Foetal monitor, vital sign monitor among new equipment

— Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

Improving facility: V. Raja, president, GE Healthcare, South Asia, exchanging documents with S. Rajasekaran (right), Deputy Director, Health Services, Vellore. Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam and Secretary V. K. Subburaj (second from right), are in the picture.

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has entered into a memorandum of understanding with GE Healthcare to participate in the running of the Banavaram Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Vellore.

As part of a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative, a group of Asian American employees of GE Healthcare have committed to contributing approximately Rs.45 lakh over two years to the PHC. This will go towards creating medical technology infrastructure at the clinic and training the staff. At the end of the two-year period, the equipment will be donated to the PHC.

Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam said it was a key PPP initiative for the State. He lauded GE Healthcare for volunteering to be part of the programme. He urged heads of other healthcare institutions to facilitate similar partnerships for the advancement of their own centres. Principal Secretary, Health, V.K. Subburaj, said Tamil Nadu was encouraging PPP over the last few years, especially for upgrading PHCs. Among the existing PHCs, Vellore had some of the better performers. From only 3,509 deliveries in 2006-2007, the total number of deliveries climbed to over 13,000 the following year.

V. Raja, president and CEO, GE Healthcare, South Asia, said the company’s goal was to reduce the cost of healthcare, improve quality and increase access. The Asian Pacific American Forum, the group of employees that had contributed funding for the project, narrowed down on the Banavaram PHC, as they believed that the equipment would be effectively and efficiently used there.

Among the new equipment that Banavaram will have as a result of the PPP are a foetal monitor, vital sign monitor, baby warmer, pulse oximeter, ultra sound system, needle destroyers, oxygen cylinders, suction apparatus and inverters for power supply, he said.

Mr. Raja, on behalf of the company, and S. Rajasekaran, Deputy Director of Health Services, Vellore, on behalf of the government, signed the MoU.

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