UP mulls 1,000 hosps under PPP mode

The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to construct around 1,000 hospitals under public-privatepartnership (PPP) mode to provide good healthcare facilities to people, Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said.

He said that leading consulting firm Ernst&young has been asked to prepare a detailed project report.

"This will be an extension of the central government's Ayushman Bharat scheme," Singh said on Sunday.

"We are in the process of identifying two community health centres in each district. Their land, about three acres each, will be given on a longterm lease to private company which will construct a 100-bed hospital, along with an operation theatre and diagnostic centre," he said.

The project is likely to begin from November this year.

The minister said that he will move a proposal in the cabinet to set a basic minimum module (BMM) for filling posts of doctors in district hospitals.

"There is a rule for the same at present which is not being followed. Transfers of doctors are taking place erratically. Once the cabinet clears the BMM, it will become mandatory for establishment of certain posts in all hospitals," he said. For example, Singh said, there will be posts for ENT specialists, paediatricians, gynaecologists and orthopaedic surgeons.

Unless all these posts are filled, no arbitrary transfers from such hospitals will be permitted, he said.

Singh added that in case of shortage of doctors, the posts will be filled on contractual basis. "A tender will also be issued to hire doctors on contract," Singh said.