Want to lend helping hand to poor patients? Here is an initiative by AIIMS

New Delhi, June 3: All India Institute of Medical Science(AIIMS), premier hospital of the country, has decided to take a good initiative, which may prove to be a big boon for the poor patients. Reportedly, AIIMS will launch 'adopt a patient' policy soon to provide a helping hand to patients who can't bear the burden of costly medical equipments.

Under this policy, the hospital will officially urge people to come forward and help these patients. Hospital administration will garmer public fund through this policy and later it will be used for the treatment of selected patients whose economic condition will be pitiable.

When asked about the initiative, Dr Deepak Agrawal, who heads the IT division at AIIMS was quoted by TOI as saying, "We admit about two lakh patients every year at AIIMS.Of this, 30%-40% are poor who cannot even pay for implants. In case of spinal injury, there have been cases where the families abandoned patients because they did not have the means to continue treatment or rehabilitate the patient at home. Such people will benefit from the policy".

AIIMS director M C Misra will officially launch this donation policy on Saturday. According to hospital officials, since Wednesday when the trail process for the policy started, Rs 14,000 has been received.

Currently, AIIMS help these patients who can't afford costly medical equipments with the help of the relief funds of the President and the Prime Minister. According to hospital staff these funds are not enough and at times patients are being told to arrange money for the treatment of their relatives.

It has been found that on the name of helping these patients, various NGOs garner fund but maximum times money is being misused. This 'adopt a patient' policy will end such things by giving public a verified platform for donations.

"Though surgery and consultation are free, most public hospitals charge for implants and other equipment needed post-surgery. Poor patients who come from states such as Bihar or Jharkhand do not have money to travel even nor do they have documents or wherewithal to seek funds from various agencies. Many die without treatment", Agrawal further quoted by TOI.

OneIndia News