For the first time probably in eastern India, a government hospital is all set to earmark a G+9 building for private healthcare facilities. SSKM Hospital, eastern India’s premier teaching hospital-cum-post-graduate institute for medical education and research, has decided to set up 124 private cabins in the G+9 building that is nearing completion on the left side of main gate, opposite of the Victoria Memorial, along the A J C Road flyover.

In order to make the private cabins operational by this year, the SSKM Hospital authorities have set up a highpowered committee to monitor preparation in connection with infrastructure required. Prof Manimoy Bandyopadhyay, director of the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) as well SSKM Hospital, has issued a notice on 2 January forming the seven-member committee.

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The committee, headed by Prof Bandyopadhyay, includes members like Prof Pijush Kumar Roy, medical super-cum-vice-principal (MSVP), orthopaedic surgeon Prof Tanmoy Dutta, Dr Rajat Chowdhury, critical care unit (CCU) head and three others non-medical officials of the hospital.

The committee will sit for its first meeting on Thursday to fix cabin charges, according to the notice. The notice reads: “G+9 private cabin building is to be operational within this year. In view of that, to make the building ready for providing service, a high power committee is hereby formed consisting of…..”

About a year ago, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had inaugurated a slew of projects inside the G+9 building. “The private cabins at the new nine-storied building will virtually be an extended form of Woodburn Ward cabins.

The committee would sit on its first meeting on Friday to discuss several issues, including treatment facilities and bed charges in the private cabins,” a senior administrative official at SSKM Hospital said, requesting anonymity. The Woodburn Ward has 35 cabins with three types of bed accommodations.

The daily charges for a single occupancy large cabin is Rs 4,000 while for a single occupancy small it costs Rs 2,500 per day. For a double occupancy large cabin charge is Rs 2,000.

Some senior faculty members at the hospital felt that the high-powered committee should have included technical experts from PWD and fire services, two major government agencies in state-run healthcare facilities.