Haryana is rich State with poeple having higher paying capacity.Hence Govt. should encourage for establishiing corporate and private hospitals across the State and provide them subsidised land and loans at cheap rate of interest
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana – Pawan Kumar Bansal
Extracts from my upcoming book on the politics, culture and governance of Haryana, titled “Murky Politics of Haryana.”
“Nowhere in the world is it possible to give free treatment to patients. Private practice should be allowed in PGIMS, Rohtak, and charges for beds should be increased. Haryana is a rich state with people having higher paying capacity. Hence, the Government should encourage the establishment of corporate and private hospitals across the State and provide them subsidised land and loans at cheap rates of interest.”
This is how an IAS officer heading the Health Department during the Chief Ministership of Bansi Lal in Haryana (1996–99) reflected concern for the common man.
On 28th May, 1997, the Haryana Government constituted an expert committee headed by Veena Eagleton, Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department, Haryana, comprising eminent doctors of the country, to suggest ways for improving and providing the best healthcare facilities to patients.
Members:
Dr. K.K. Talwar, Professor, Department of Cardiology, AIIMS, Delhi.
Dr. Jagmohan, HOD, Cardiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Dr. Khanna, Ex-Director, G.B. Pant Hospital, Delhi.
Dr. Maini, Ex-HOD, Trauma, PGIMS, Rohtak, and a few others.
After a series of meetings over three months, the committee came out with several recommendations.
It recommended that since PGIMER, Chandigarh had started charging patients, which led to a reduction in the workload of consultants and placed it in a better position to provide referral services, the Haryana Government should also consider acting on similar lines. According to the committee, nowhere in the world is it possible to provide free treatment to all patients. Starting pay clinics and paid beds at reasonable rates would help the institution generate sufficient funds to update equipment and improve the working environment. Pay clinics after working hours would also help the institution utilise its space, nursing staff, and other personnel adequately.
This scribe, who was a reporter with Jansatta at Rohtak at that time, carried a story in Jansatta, following which Bansi Lal rejected the recommendations of the committee.
The committee had also recommended opening a Trauma Centre. Later, IAS officers reportedly formed a trust to capture control of the centre. Following exposure by this scribe, their plan could not materialise. I will deal with this in a forthcoming story.
While Bansi Lal did not interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the institute, Bhajan Lal reserved eight seats for admission in MBBS under the CM quota. During Chautala’s regime, chemist shops were allotted to chosen persons at throwaway prices. The list of acts of omission and commission of the present Government headed by Naib Saini is endless.
khabre junction