With the Center aiming to establish at least one major hospital in each of the country’s 761 districts, it has roped in public sector undertakings (PSUs) and other government agencies to expand their hospital capacity in partnership with the private sector and open them to customers. also for use by the general public.

Currently, the facilities of the hospitals managed by the PSU operate on the premises of the entities and are largely reserved for staff and their relatives, although there are cases where the public has restricted access to outpatient treatment counters and pharmacies, and for emergency reasons.

Recently, the government gave the nod to port sector entities including Paradip Port, Chidambaranar Port Trust (formerly Tuticorin Port), Visakhapatnam Port and Mumbai Port to increase their hospital capacities to this effect.

Under a public-private partnership (PPP), Paradip Port would establish a 400-bed super-specialty hospital at Paradip with the possibility of developing a medical college and further expanding the hospital on the basis of a PPP. Apart from port staff and their families, the general public would also have access to the hospital’s services on a paid basis.

Mumbai Port Trust is converting its 241-bed hospital into a 600-bed super specialty hospital to provide enhanced healthcare facilities to some 45,000 port employees and their dependents as well as the general public in the catchment area on a daily basis. PPP with an investment of around Rs 700 crore. .

“Apart from port sector PSUs, other public companies and agencies like railways are likely to expand their hospitals in PPP mode to cater to the needs of the general public as well,” a senior official said. Some are in the tender phase, others are awarded, still others are being evaluated, added the official.

India needs an additional 2.4 million hospital beds to reach the recommended ratio of 3 beds per 1,000 people, fueling demand for healthcare-related real estate space, global real estate consultant Knight Frank said in a report. India’s current bed-to-population ratio is 1.3/1,000 population (including private and public hospitals).

The Center plans to build at least one major hospital in each of India’s 761 districts to improve access to healthcare in small towns.

There was a shortage of almost 80% of surgeons, doctors, gynecologists and pediatricians in community facilities. health centers in rural India in March 2022, according to a government report.

Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh/year to poor families and senior citizens above 70 years (irrespective of their income status), poor families have saved around Rs 1, 25 lakh crore in health expenditure. Opening of CPSE hospitals to the general public would strengthen the Ayushman Bharat program and the general public would have access to these hospitals.