R.K.Pillai,Thiruvananthapuram
Can we think of a normal delivery in a hospital having modern amenities at a throw away price of around Rs. 1500/-? Well, it is possible with Lifespring hospitals making it a reality.Many women lose their lives every year in India due to pregnancy related complication and an equal number suffer moderate to severe infection. Lack of proper maternity care and less than satisfactory health care services in rural areas further aggravate the situation.
Hindustan Latex (HLL), a mini ratna enterprise under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is all geared to add another chapter to its excellent track record through a new chain of modern yet affordable hospitals named Lifespring. These hospitals are literally springing surprises in health care especially maternity and child health care to women and children of low income households of rural India. Lifespring plans to open 20-25 bed small chain of hospitals to provide affordable quality health care to rural poor.
In the coming years, the service segment will be a key thrust area for HLL. The company is in the process of setting up 30 LifeSpring Hospitals in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharastra. With focus on providing services like antenatal care, post natal care, both normal and caesarean delivery, family planning services and medical termination of pregnancy. Pediatric care including immunisation and diagnostic services will also be available in these hospitals at very reasonable price. Since health care costs significantly contribute to poverty in rural India, the efforts of Lifespring hospitals to ensure quality health care at affordable price is indeed a path-breaking move. Apart from Hospitals, the major focus will primarily be in the area of high quality health care delivery at affordable rates.
Similarly HLL has set up HINDLABS – the Diagnostic Center – a partnership venture with the CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme). This Center located at New Delhi provides quality diagnostic services to the CGHS beneficiaries. The same services will also be provided to patients outside the CGHS too at affordable rates.
This center has two major facilities – A Clinical specimen testing lab to deliver Pathology, Hematology and Biochemistry tests equipped with – Automatic Cell counter for Hematology, Semi auto Biochemistry Analyser, Electrolyte Analyser, Elisa Reader and Plate Washer, Auxiliary equipments like Incubator, Hot air oven etc., and a Diagnostic Imaging facility, provided with – High Frequency X Ray to deliver low dose high clarity X ray imaging, Ultrasound Scanner and ECG machine. The operation of the centre and customer interfaces has been integrated through laboratory management software, which is capable of Patient registration, Billing, Report entry and issual and generation of reports.
CGHS is one of the primary healthcare delivery networks of the Ministry of Health & family Welfare, Government of India, which delivers economical and quality medical care facilities to Central government employees across India. With its vision for healthy generations the new initiatives in the infrastructure up-gradation of hospitals and health centres being undertaken across the country by the Government will go a long way in focusing on their primary responsibility of ensuring high standards of medical care.
*Media & Communications Officer, PIB, Thiruvananthapuram