Ranchi: Mothers, who constantly stay by the side of their children admitted for treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), will be served free meals by the state-run hospital along with their wards.
Earlier, only patients were entitled to free food. But state health minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi said they had decided to extend the sop to mothers of indoor child patients aged up to 14 years to rid them of the hassle of arranging food from elsewhere while looking after the ill.
The “landmark decision”, as Chandravanshi called it, was taken today at the medical institute-cum-hospital’s general body meeting, which also saw approval being granted to construction of new facilities to pave the way for increasing the number of MBBS seats at the medical institute from 150 to 250.
The health minister chaired the meeting at the Bariatu Road heal hub from morning till post-noon. Kanke MLA Jeetu Charan Ram, state health secretary K. Vidyasagar, RIMS director B.L. Sherwal, Rinpas director Jayanti Simlai and representatives from other wings of the hospital were present too, reported The Telegraph.
Briefing about some of the 10 decisions taken, the minister said they tried to keep the interest of common public in mind.
“A few other major decisions included providing free medicines to all indoor and outdoor admitted patients, irrespective of poverty line category. Similarly, free dye for radiological/cardiological and other investigations will be provided to all patients admitted at RIMS. But free ‘essential medicines’ (costly ones) will be given to only BPL category people. This section, having an annual income of up to Rs 72,000, will be also entitled to free diagnostic facilities of MRI, CT etc, which otherwise cost Rs 3,500,” Chandravanshi said after the meeting ended.
RIMS director Sherwal added that they would start working for increasing the number of medical seats from the existing 150 to 250.
“But the Medical Council of India (MCI) had raised objections to the seat hike, citing lack of proper library, lecture halls, canteen etc. Hence, the governing body approved construction of new facilities for which we will send a proposal to state government soon. The proposal is for building a library of around 4,000sqm, around five lecture halls with a capacity to accommodate 300 people each, proper canteen etc,” Sherwal said.
Special focus will be also given to cleanliness, landscaping and beautification of the premises, especially constructing proper entrance and refurbishing the road from entrance to the girls’ hostel with lights, besides putting in place other mandatory security apparatus.
Chandravanshi informed they had also approved rates for procuring high-end devices like stents for heart patients on the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to ease the financial burden for patients.
“Private hospitals charge around Rs 1.5 lakh from patients for stenting. Once we buy our own equipment, we can do the procedure here at RIMS at half the amount,” the minister said.