Mangaluru, Karnataka :
Attendants of patients admitted in Government Wenlock Hospital in the city from Friday are getting the benefitting of mid-day meal, thanks to initiative by an NGO. Inspired by the initiative, the department of health and family welfare is keen to make similar scheme in all major government hospitals across the state with the help of organizations.
Snehalaya Palana Samiti of Snehalaya Charitable Trust has launched ‘Snehalaya Maanna’, a unique scheme that provides lunch for over 700 attendants of patients at Government Wenlock Hospital. While patients are provided with free food by the government, the NGO will supply lunch for relatives, who take care of patients regularly in the hospital premises.
It is estimated that the NGO will have to spend an average of Rs 7,000 per day to provide food for 700 attendants. Snehalaya Charitable Trust founder Joseph Crasta said that patients’ attendants will be provided with rice and sambar regularly. “Snehalaya has been running a rehabilitation centre for mentally retarded in Pavoor near Manjeshwar for over six years. We have already launched the dinner scheme for patients’ attendants at Government General Hospital in Kasargod for the last one year. All our service is made possible through the donors. As many as 80 donors have joined hands to make our programme successful,” Joseph said adding that the mid-day meal scheme launched at Wenlock Hospital will be continued forever.
Minister for health and family welfare U T Khader, who launched the scheme, said he has plans to extend the scheme to other government hospitals across the state. “It is a serious issue that goes unnoticed in all the government hospitals that those who take care of patients are deprived of food and proper shelter.”
This is really a noteworthy scheme that can be replicated in other government hospitals across the state. Many organizations including hotel and restaurant owners association have come forward offering the service. We will pursue the matter and implement it in other hospitals in a phased manner. This will also ensure that the patients get their full quota of food provided to them without their attendants taking a nibble or two from it, Khader said.
Shelters with reading room and TV will be provided for attendants of patients in Wenlock Hospital, he said adding that a decision in this regard will be taken by the government soon.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Mangaluru / by Vinobha KT, TNN / August 14th, 2015