Sree Chitra puts on hold proposal to hike fee
Hospital generates internal income of Rs 80 crore
By : Gilvester Assary
Update: 2015-09-25 01:15 GMT
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Premier medical institution Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has put on hold its proposal to hike the one time registration fee for “paying category” patients from Rs 250 to Rs 750 following opposition from various quarters.
The hike was to be implemented on a trial basis for three months from October 1. Since the decision was based on the recommendation of Department of Science and Technology (DST) which governs the institute, the hospital authorities have submitted a detailed report on the opposition to the proposed hike.
“We will take further decision after getting direction from DST. The hike was only for D category patients who pay full amount for treatment. Categories which avail free treatment and concessional treatment were spared,” said Dr Asha Kishore, Director SCTIMST.
A section of trade unions had threatened to launch an agitation if institution failed to withdraw the hike decision by September 30.
“We decided to hike the fee to overcome financial crunch. Institute's annual negative budget is Rs 20 crore which is all set to shoot up to Rs 22 core next year,” the director said.
Of the DST’s annual budget of Rs 300 crore, SCTIMST receives Rs 90 crores which is highest among the 25 national institutes funded by the department.
Hospital generates internal income of Rs 80 crore. Of this salary bills of the staff comes to Rs 110 crores and the remaining amount is spent on new equipment and other requirements.
There has been no increase in the budget for the past six years. “We have applied for special grant from the DST but the entire process may taken one or two years,” the director added.