BHUBANESWAR: The Health and Family Welfare department on Wednesday set modalities to transform 147 hospitals after the districts submitted the list of high caseload hospitals and referral units for upgradation in terms of infrastructure and equipment.
The hospitals, including 30 district headquarters hospitals, 30 sub-divisional hospitals, 82 CHCs, two UPHCs and one City Hospital besides the Capital Hospital and Rourkela Government Hospital will be transformed under Ama Hospital initiative at a cost of Rs 750 crore.Each assembly constituency has one health facility identified for transformation. The first referral units have been given priority in the
Assembly constituencies where DHHs are not located. The maximum 13 hospitals in Ganjam district have been identified, followed by nine each in Mayurbhanj and Cuttack, eight each in Balasore and Khurda and seven each in Jajpur and Sundargarh. Apart from the Capital Hospital, two UPHCs at Unit IV and Patia have been selected for transformation.
As per the modalities, the collectors will implement the initiative with the assistance of a 12-member district level committee (DLC) constituted for the purpose. The DLC will prepare the estimates through the experts of the line departments.The estimates will be approved after discussion in the DLC, which will also select the implementing agency by following due procedures. The DLC will also monitor the progress of the activities.
Collectors will accord administrative approval for civil works up to Rs 4 crore for non-residential works and approve procurement of goods up to Rs 25 lakh. In case the value of works and goods exceeds the above financial limit, it has to be approved by the director of health services.
While funds for implementation of the initiative will be provided out of the state budget for non-DMF districts, the districts having access to DMF and OMBADC funds will tap these sources for funding the hospital transformation. In case of any shortfall, funding will be provided from the state budget.
Health secretary Shalini Pandit said the high caseload hospitals will be upgraded by October this year. The focus is on strengthening basic patient amenities, improving service delivery and quality certification of health facilities,she added.