Minimal Budget for Patient Meals
Bhopal: Concerns have been raised over the food budget allocated to patients at Jai Prakash (JP) Hospital, where the cost of providing all three daily meals reportedly amounts to just Rs. 33 per patient. This is significantly lower than the daily expenditure on cattle and prison inmates across Madhya Pradesh.
Nutritionally Insufficient Meals
Patients at JP Hospital reportedly receive a modest lunch of potato-cauliflower curry, thin green dal, a small portion of rice, four chapatis, and two cucumber slices served on a thali. Including breakfast and dinner, the total daily expenditure per patient remains Rs. 33, prompting questions about the adequacy, quality, and nutritional value of the meals. The hospital canteen in-charge noted, “We are providing food at a cost of Rs. 33 per day, which includes salaries of the staff.”
Comparison With Other Expenditures
The revelation is alarming as government shelters for cows allocate Rs. 40 per day for feed, and inmates in state jails receive Rs. 70 daily. Officially, the state government has allocated Rs. 48 per patient per day, but many hospitals reportedly spend less than Rs. 40.
Poor Food Quality Sparks Concern
The issue gained attention after patients at Madhav Nagar Government Hospital in Ujjain shared videos showing substandard meals, including watery dal, half-cooked chapatis, and poorly prepared vegetable curry. The hospital in-charge, Dr. Vikram Raghuvanshi, informed the health department to take necessary action to improve food quality.
Official Diet Chart vs Reality
The official district hospital diet chart mandates breakfast with dalia, poha, banana, upma, and milk; lunch with salad, chapatis, vegetables, lentils, and rice; and dinner with chapatis, vegetables, and lentils, along with tea and biscuits in the evening. However, patients report a significant gap between the prescribed diet and what is actually served.
Patient Experiences Highlight Deficiency
One patient described the watery green dal on his plate, adding, “We have no option but to eat the bad food.” Another stated, “If I complain about food, I will not be treated.” Pregnant women are provided two bananas and two ladoos in addition to the regular meal, costing Rs. 40 under the National Health Mission.
Low Budget Compared to Other States
Officials highlighted that the Rs. 48 per day allocation has not been revised since 2014. Compared to other states, the budget is meagre: Rajasthan Rs. 70, Chhattisgarh Rs. 150, Uttar Pradesh Rs. 116, and Odisha Rs. 85–110. The low allocation continues to strain the hospital’s ability to provide nutritious meals.
Authorities Promise Review
Dr. Raghuvanshi stated that hospitals are trying to provide good meals despite budget constraints. Medical superintendent of Bundelkhand Medical College echoed similar concerns. Minister of State for Health, Narendra Shivaji Patel, assured that infrastructure and facilities are being improved continuously and that the budgetary provisions for patient meals would be reviewed.
