Khariar RKS creates record in generating revenue

The Pioneer, April 11, 2010
PNS, Khariar

When local MLA Hitesh Bagarti and Nuapada Zilla Parishad vice-president Prassna Padhi jointly inaugurated a 24-hour medical store in the premises of the Up-Graded Public Health Centre (UGPHC) here recently, they almost created history. And Santoshi Medical Store is the only round-the-clock medical store in the town which records the highest patient turnout in the district.

What was important was the way the Rogi Kalyan Samittee (RKS) of the hospital made it possible amassing huge revenue for itself. Proprietor Sriram Tayal has created a record in the bidding floated by the RKS. He has deposited Rs 23,11,111 as an interest-free security with the RKS to win the bid to run the medical store, informed Medical Officer-cum-Member Secretary of the RKS Dr Niranjan Nayak. Tayal would also be paying Rs 3,000 per month as rent for the building, he added.

“Going by the needs of the people, we developed the concept of competitive bid for a medical store in the premises of the hospital,” said an RKS member and one of the architects of the concept, Biswajit Padhi. “Since the guideline of the RKS issued by the NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) allowed the scope to generate revenue for the hospital for development, we planned to have a medical store in the hospital premises which, besides generating revenue, has met the demands of the patients for a 24-hour medicine shop. The proprietor has also agreed to provide a five per cent discount on medicines to the needy and poor patients,” added Padhi. The money would be used to build two furnished cabins for the patients, according to RKS sources.

The local health institutions have enough scope for local interventions and development, which solely depends on the mindset of the RKS members. The Khariar UGPHC RKS has created a record of sorts by generating very high revenue for itself by this ingenious way.

The UGPHC also has a functional investigation laboratory run by the RKS, which charges less money than private investigation laboratories in the area. Prior to the RKS guidelines, the State used to offer such businesses to people including what the authorities described as “unemployed pharmacists” at throwaway prices.