The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that it will respond to the Niti Aayog’s draft agreement proposing terms by which district hospitals across the country could be opened to private participation in the treatment of non-communicable diseases. The government policy thinks tank sent a letter to states in June proposing a model by which private companies could potentially bid for 30-year leases over parts of district hospital buildings and land to set up 50-bed or 100-bed hospitals in district headquarters. In its letter asking states for their views on the matter, Niti Aayog said the model contract had been prepared jointly by the Union health ministry and with the World Bank as a technical advisor.
But an official in the health ministry said that the department was involved only in early discussions before the final draft was prepared. “The final draft that was shared by…
