SSKM to launch West Bengal’s first budget hospital
Kolkata: To improve access to quality healthcare, West Bengal’s first ‘budget hospital’ is set to begin operations inside the SSKM Hospital premises before the upcoming Durga Puja. This innovative project, introduced under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, marks a new chapter in the state’s healthcare sector.
According to the news reports, the 10-storeyed hospital building, constructed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, will initially make its first two floors operational for patients. The construction began in November 2023, and the facility promises corporate hospital-like services at a fraction of the cost.
Medical Dialogues had previously reported that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has come out with a new concept for Bengal’s health sector, ‘budget hospital’. A plan to set up such a hospital at the SSKM Hospital campus in Kolkata had already been taken.
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The new 10-storey facility will feature a total of 131 beds, comprising 8 VIP suites, 102 tastefully designed cabins, 16 ICU beds, 5 HDU units, and additional recovery beds.
While the treatment pricing is yet to be finalized, patients can expect costs to be 70–80% lower than those in private corporate hospitals.
The project was inspired by the successful PPP model implemented at Woodburn Ward, also located within SSKM, which saw high patient satisfaction and financial viability. Building on that success, the Woodburn Ward is also being upgraded, with the number of cabins being increased from 36 to 60.
According to the Millennium Post, the ‘budget hospitals’ will be set up gradually in all the districts. There are plans to open such a hospital in other medical colleges in Kolkata, such as Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, RG Kar Medical College, NRS Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, Burdwan Medical College, North Bengal Medical College, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, etc. These hospitals would be equipped with facilities like private cabins with ACs and TVs, single, double, and four-bedded cabins, ICUs, etc.