Mumbai: Based on recommendations made by the Central government and NITI Aayog, the State government has taken a step towards privatising government hospitals, as part of which hospitals with 300 or fewer beds will be operated under Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The government has appointed a three-member committee to study the model’s feasibility and submit a report within three months.
It will be chaired by the Commissioner, National Health Mission, while the Director, Health Services will be a secretary and the Director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research will be the member.
In June 2017, a model contract by NITI Aayog was sent out to State governments by its CEO, Amitabh Kant, which opened government-owned hospitals to private investment.
As per the draft contract, private hospitals could bid for 30-year leases over portions of district hospital buildings to set up 50- or 100-bed hospitals in smaller towns across the country. The State governments could lease up to six district hospitals within the State.
The Government Resolution (GR) issued by the State government mentions Central government’s 2015 guidelines on establishing a medical college, and the Gujarat government’s Memorandum of Understanding with Adani Education and Research Foundation in this regard.
A State Health Department officer said the government is following Central government guidelines. “A committee has already prepared a detailed proposal on the PPP model in healthcare. Now, the committee will check the model’s feasibility,” he said. The healthcare proposal envisages services including diagnostic (digitised radiology, CT scan, MRI, pathology, biochemistry), dialysis, supportive (diet, security and waste collection).
