Food for thought: Maharashtra govt hospital serves Rs 10 thali for patients, relatives

Nagpur government hospital has started providing Rs 10 thali (meal) for patients and their relatives.

Mumbai, March 5: At a time when millions of Indians simply can't afford healthcare facilities because of lack of finances, the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Nagpur, Maharashtra, has taken a noble step towards helping poor patients and their relatives during their hospital stay.

One major concern for patients, apart from the cost of medicines, doctor and others, is the food. Often hospital canteens don't provide healthy and hygienic food. Those that provide charge hefty money. Thus patients and their relatives either eat outside, again paying a good sum of money, or bring food from home, which again is difficult provided patients are from the same place where they have been hospitalised.

In order to solve the problem, Nagpur's GMCH has started providing Rs 10 thali (meal) for patients and their relatives. The initiative has been taken by Yuva Zep Pratishthan, a non-profit organisation. The NGO has named the meal, "Deendayal Thali".

"The GMCH in Nagpur provides food for patients and their relatives at an affordable price. The thali is being sold at Rs 10. Packed thali costs Rs 15," reported ANI.

The dishes under the Deendayal Thali scheme are being prepared inside the premises of the hospital, added ANI.

Each thali consists of three rotis, rice and different curries. A big billboard outside the canteen states that it provides affordable food for patients and their relatives only. Another high point of the canteen is the amount of attention given to cleanliness.

"First, we want to provide affordable food to patients and their caretakers. Here we provide healthy, tasty and hygienic food to patients and their relatives," said a member of the NGO.

Regarding the feasibility of selling meals at such an affordable rate when prices of food items have touched a new high, managers at the canteen said that they are carrying out the difficult task with a lot of hard work.

The canteen with a modern kitchen houses a spacious dining hall for patrons. "My father is admitted in the hospital. My mother, brother and I are taking care of my father. We are eating food at the canteen where prices are very affordable for poor people like us," said Hari Das, a daily wage earner. Das added that every hospital in the country should have a similar canteen.

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