New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is planning to set up dialysis centres at seven of its hospitals under a public-private partnership (PPP) model to provide affordable treatment to kidney patients, with eligible Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries entitled to cashless services, Standing Committee chairperson Satya Sharma said on Thursday.
The proposed centres will offer dialysis at rates lower than those charged by private hospitals, while also reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for regular treatment, she said.
“The seven institutions selected for the project are Swami Dayanand Hospital in Dilshad Garden, Bak Ram Hospital in Timarpur, UPHC Fatehpur Beri, Mata Gujri Hospital in Tilak Nagar, Purnima Sethi Multi-Speciality Hospital in Kalkaji, Shrimati Girdhari Lal Maternity Hospital near Ajmeri Gate and Veer Savarkar Arogya Sansthan in Karawal Nagar,” Sharna said.
A single dialysis session at a private hospital costs around Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500, and patients requiring the procedure two to three times a week often face a considerable financial burden, Sharma said.
According to the proposal, a single private service provider will operate all seven centres under a cluster model. The agency will install dialysis machines, arrange technical staff and take care of the operation and maintenance of the facilities.
The MCD will provide space at a nominal licence fee of Rs 1 per month for each centre. While water will be supplied through the hospitals’ existing arrangements, the private agency will bear the electricity expenses.
The civic body will not make any direct payment to the service provider or guarantee a minimum number of patients under the proposed arrangement, Sharma said in a statement.
The initial contract will be for 10 years, with a provision for an extension of up to five years, subject to satisfactory performance and other prescribed conditions. A review will be carried out in the fifth year.
The agency will be selected through an open e-tendering process, with the contract proposed to be awarded to the technically qualified bidder offering the highest discount.
Sharma said the initiative aims to strengthen healthcare facilities at MCD hospitals and make regular treatment more accessible to patients, particularly those from economically weaker sections.
Eligible beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana will receive cashless treatment as per the scheme’s provisions, she added. PTI VBH NB
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