Govt has increased beds in hospitals by 35%: Chandrima

The Bengal government has increased the total number of beds by 35 percent in the state-run hospitals. Minister of State (MoS), Department of Health and Family Welfare Chandrima Bhattacharya on Friday said that the government has achieved this in last six years under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"We have increased the total number of the beds by 35 percent in government hospitals from 2011 to 2017. Presently, the total number of beds in the hospitals is 1.04 Lakh," Bhattacharya said while she was addressing a crowd at the Nursing Conclave 2017 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The Minister of State said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has increased the planned budget of the department by over 200 per cent.

"The planned budget of Department of Health and Family Welfare was 872 crore in 2011-12. But our Chief Minister, who is also the Health minister, has increased the planned budget to Rs 3,299 crore, which is an increase by 200 per cent," she added.

Bhattacharya said that the state government has recruited 41,645 people in the medical service including 2,400 doctors. But the government's biggest achievement would be to set up 42 Super Specialty Hospitals across the state.

"You cannot find any Chief Minister like Mamata Banerjee. She has really gone to the grassroots to bring about a refreshing change in the entire healthcare system in Bengal," Bhattacharya told at the conclave.

The Minister of State said that the patients get free of cost treatment and diagnostic tests in the government-run hospitals. "We do not take money from the patients who come for treatment and all the medical tests are free including CT Scan and MRI. The government has also started fare price medicine shops in the hospitals," she maintained. The Minister of State further said that the government has set up five new health districts and three new medical colleges. Four private medical colleges will also be set up soon in the state.

"Not only will medical colleges be set up, nine new nursing training institutes in the state too will be set up. I will specifically mention that nurses are living gods and their caring hands can make a difference in the health service," Bhattacharya added.