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Patients at Pathanamthitta General Hospital will now have access affordable surgical equipment and medicines at the newly opened Lifecare Centre – a joint venture of the central public sector unit HLL Lifecare Limited and the Government of Kerala.
 
Hon’ble Minister for Health Shri. V S Sivakumar inaugurated the centre at the hospital on 14, April at a function presided over by Adv. K Sivadasan Nair MLA, with Shri. Anto Antony MP as the chief guest.
 
“The Lifecare Centre will provide high quality surgical equipment, surgical implants and medicines at reasonable prices under one roof.  These centres have been functioning very effectively across Kerala,” the Minister said. He added that the centre will stock a range of affordable eye-care products including spectacles, frames, lenses and medicines.    
 
Shri. Sivakumar also inaugurated the hospital’s renovated Trauma Care Unit which recently got a state-of-the-art laminar airflow operation theatre under a National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) project.
 
The function was attended by dignitaries including Municipal Chairman Adv. A Sureshkumar, NRHM Mission Director Dr M Beena, Director of Health Services Dr P K Jameela, Ward Councillor Smt Sugandha Sukumaran, DMO Dr K K Rajaram, HLL Deputy General Manager Shri. Reju Scaria, NRHM District Programme Manager Shri. P N Vidyadharan and District Collector Shri. V N Jithendran.
 
The surgical implants and other medical products are made available at the centres at discounts ranging from 10 to 60 percent.  For example the interlocking set which is used in the surgery of the thigh bone costs around Rs 7,000 in the market, but is priced at just Rs 2,200 at the Lifecare centre. Likewise, the AMP implant which is used in bipolar surgeries has a market price of Rs 4,000 but is available at the centre for Rs 1,700. In addition to subsidised services for the needy, the centre will also provide cashless services to RSBY card holders.
 
“Our vision is to provide affordable quality health service and products to everyone. Lifecare Centres are a key step in that direction,” said HLL Chairman and Managing Director Dr M Ayyappan.
 
There are already three Lifecare Centres in Kerala, besides the newly opened facility at Pathanamthitta, and one in Odisha. The Lifecare Centre at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College that started functioning in October 2011 was the first in this chain. The other two Lifecare centres are at the Vadakara General Hospital and the Thiruvananthapuram Regional Institute of Ophthalmology.
 
In view of private agencies charging different rates at different hospitals for surgical and ophthalmic equipment, the Lifecare Centre will help address the uncertainties and lack of proper systems in this sector. Through the Lifecare Centres, HLL aims to ensure standardisation and transparency in the marketing of these products and deliver them to the common man at reasonable prices.
 
The state Government has given its approval for opening Lifecare Centres at four other Government Medical Colleges in Kerala and at district and taluk hospitals. The goal is to make vital medical equipment and products accessible to patients depending on Government hospitals. With its mission of making quality healthcare and services available to all people, HLL Lifecare Limited is today a major player in the global health sector.