BENGALURU: For the first time, government hospitals will serve patients meals tailored to their medical needs instead of a one-size-fits-all diet. Until now, children, pregnant women and new mothers admitted to government hospitals were given the same general diet as other patients. Officials said this did not adequately meet their specific nutritional requirements. To address this, the health department, in partnership with ISKCON, revised the hospital food system and introduced five separate diet plans -- general, therapeutic, pregnancy, postnatal and paediatric.
In the first phase, the initiative will cover three major hospitals in Bengaluru — CV Raman General Hospital, Jayanagar General Hospital and KC General Hospital. On Tuesday, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao launched the new diet plan initiative at CV Raman General Hospital.
An agreement has been signed with ISKCON to provide daily meals for around 250 patients in each hospital. Patients will be served breakfast, morning and evening snacks, lunch and dinner. The health department has allocated Rs 1.37 crore for the programme over the next nine months.
Addressing the media, Gundu Rao said the diet plans are designed to speed up recovery and improve treatment outcomes. Pregnant women, for example, will receive meals rich in iron and folic acid. New mothers will be given foods that boost milk production and overall health, while children will be served nutrient-rich meals to aid growth and immunity. If successful, the programme will be extended to other government hospitals across the state, he added.
Items included Rava upma
Pongal
Wheat porridge
Ragi balls
Chapathi, rice
Sambar
Vegetables
Soya
Milk
Fruits
Buttermilk
Chikki