Akshaya Patra to feed patients at SMS hospital, Jaipur
JAIPUR: Patients at the government-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) hospital will now get nutritious food in the hospital premises as it has tied up with Akshaya Patra for serving meals to patients and their attendants at reasonable prices. The menu will have sprouts, soups, juices and other nutritious food items during breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Indian NGO that provides free mid-day meals to 1.3 million school children across India. The foundation operates in nine states and 19 locations in the country. This is the first initiative by the foundation towards reaching out to patients in hospitals.
“We have taken the decision to rope in Akshaya Patra so that patients and their attendants get food which is hygienic and also easily available to them. Now, they will not have to rush for food outside the hospital. We have already installed RO water machines in the hospital for drinking water and as far as food is concerned, we have linked with Akshaya Patra which will ensure nutritious and hygienic food supply in the hospital,” SMS hospital superintendent Dr Virendra Singh said.
Moreover, the hospital has appointed officials who would keep a check on the quality of food that is being served to the patients and their attendants. The food will be transported by vehicles in air-tight vessels from the Akshaya Patra kitchen, situated on Goner Road in Jagatpura. The supply of food to the hospital started from Wednesday, until when patients and their attendants bought food items in the hospital premises.
Akshaya Patra president R Govind Dasa said, “Prices are not a problem. We will serve food items at reasonable rates. The food items will be nutritious and hygienic. We will supply idli, upma, poha and khichdi at reasonable rates. The prices of no item would exceed Rs 15. Poha and kichdi will come for Rs 12 each.”
He said breakfast would be served at 7am, lunch between 11am and 2pm and dinner between 6pm and 8pm. “The prices of lunch and dinner would be Rs 20 for one meal, which include rice, chapatti, dal and vegetables,” Dasa said. “We prepare food in hygienic condition and we keep focus on nutrition as well. So, it will be good for patients and their attendants in the hospital,” he added.
