The West Bengal Government will add 17,000 beds across state-run hospitals, at a cost of Rs 2,600 crore, by the end of this fiscal.
With this, the capacity at state-run healthcare facilities are expected to move up to 80,000 from the existing 63,000.
According to Malay Kr De, Principal Secretary, State Health Department, another Rs 250 crore will be spent towards addition and upgradation of cancer and cardiac care facilities across various hospitals.
Funding will be done through government resources.
“Of the 17,000 beds that we intend to add by the end of this fiscal, 13,500 will be across super speciality hospitals, whereas the remaining 3,500 will be in other facilities,” he said, while speaking on the sidelines of 'Evolving Healthcare Investment Landscape' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The State Government has also planned to set up 34 multi-speciality hospitals. While, one such hospital will come up in August, six more are expected to be in place during 2016-17.
Cancer and Cardiac Care
According to De, the State Government will also try to improve the facilities for cancer care and treatment of blood disorders. This includes procuring linear accelerators (for chemotherapy). Currently, none of the government facilities have the equipment.
This apart, it will also be procuring cath-labs, radio therapy units and so on. “Such treatments will be provided free-of-cost,” he added.
A tie-up has also been entered into with a Singapore-based healthcare institute to provide technical support and training to the State Government’s healthcare staff.
Meanwhile, state-run hospitals’ outpatient department registers a footfall of 12 million a year.