The process of selecting government hospitals, which would be reserved for agencies run by those belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) community for diet and patient care services, has been completed. Tenders would be invited in a few days.
The draw of lots was held in the presence of the Health Minister T. Harish Rao and senior officials at the Health Campus in Koti on Tuesday.
According to a government order issued on March 12 this year, the State announced that 16% reservation would be provided to agencies owned by persons from SC community. It would apply to all hospitals having sanctioned bed strength of up to 500 beds.
The agencies are the ones providing diet, and Integrated Hospital Facility Management Services (IHFMS) which cover patient care, sanitation and security.
The hospitals were divided into two categories — those with bed strength less than 100, and those with 100 to 500 beds.
There are 122 hospitals in the first category. Of those, 20 (or 16%) were selected and will be reserved for entrepreneurs from SC community.
In the 100-500 beds category, there are 53 hospitals, of which eight are reserved. Put together, 28 agencies which provide diet services, and 28 others which provide IHFMS will be given the tenders.
Telangana State Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation chairman Errolla Srinivas, managing director K. Chandrasekhar Reddy, Officer on Special Duty to CM T. Gangadhar and Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Vakati Karuna were present on the occasion.
Mr Harish Rao said that they are also thinking of extending support to pharmacy graduates from SC community for establishing medical shops. The support could be in the form of license fee waiver. A file in this regard is under circulation.
