BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday signed an MoU with Hyderabad-based Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) for the proposed greenfield hospital and healthcare network in the Capital City.
The project includes setting up a 550-bedded multi-specialty hospital at Gadakana and upgrading five BMC-run dispensaries at Kapilaprasad, Bharatpur, Rasulgarh, Bramheswar Patna and Gadakana to primary and secondary health care centres, entailing a budget of Rs 425 crore.
While BMC has set a deadline of two years for completion of the project, KIMS expects to make the healthcare units functional within 12 months. A special purpose vehicle, M/s KIMS Hospital (Bhubaneswar) Private Limited has been setup to execute the health-care project.
The private partner will have to provide Family Planning Clinics at four sites, operate at least 20 SNCUs (Sick Newborn Care Units) in the network and conform with the schemes under National Urban Health Mission.
The proposed healthcare network would be integrated with the database of the Health and Family Welfare Department for reporting and operational purposes, the MoU stated. Other facilities at the proposed units include, free OPD consultation for six hours at the existing facilities between 8 am and 2 pm and diagnostics at cheap rates for the EWS.
Their treatment expenses would be funded by the Government through Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yajana, Biju Krushak Kalyan Yajana or Odisha State Treatment Fund. The State Government will provide a viability grant fund of Rs 51 Crores which would be disbursed in phases.
At least 45 percent of the patients at the proposed facilities will belong to economically weaker sections (EWS), Finance Minister Pradip Amat said. KIMS, leading corporate healthcare group runs five hospitals in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (two at Hyderabad and one each at Nellore, Rajahmundry and Srikakulam).
Municipal Commissioner Dr Krishan Kumar said, once commissioned, the multi-speciality hospital would act as a major referral centre for patients belonging to BPL and EWS categories. Among others, Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda, legislators Priyadarshi Mishra and Bijay Mohanty, Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena and senior executives of KIMS were present.