Sathya Sai Hospital: A five-year saga of free care

Sathya Sai Hospital: A five-year saga of free care
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Ever imagined a super specialty hospital without Government control that provides expensive medical, pre-operative, surgical and post operative services free to as many as 3,41,054 people in a short span of five years?

What’s more, the hospital does not compromise on the quality of medical services.

According to a recent WHO Medical Information Accreditation Report, it is one of the few in the country that has the lowest rate of mortality and morbidity and hospital acquired infection.

As the only hospital in India and probably in the world that offers free high quality medical care to all, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences at Whitefield here is now completing five years of matchless service to the suffering.

Founded by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 2001, it has already created history by undertaking various expensive super specialty medical services including 5959 cardiac surgeries and 5302 neuro surgeries.

The 333-bed super specialty hospital specialises in cardiology and neurology. The hospital has more than 500 staff members and 110 volunteers.

Besides cardiac ailments, the cardiac section of the hospital conducts cardio thoracic and vascular surgeries regularly.

Performing five to six cardiac surgeries daily, it does an entire range of cardiac catheterisation procedures and is considered one of the best centres in India for balloon valuloplasties. It also carries out 15-20 cath procedures such as angiograms, angioplasties, balloon valvuloplasties, peripheral angioplasties, stents, PDA coils etc.

The neurology wing caters to 70-100 OPD cases daily.

Besides handling different and complex cases regularly, it conducts four-six neurological surgeries per day that include brain tumours, aneurysm clippings, laminectomies and spinal implantations.

Another distinctive feature of the hospital is that it is completely computerised and paperless-right from the registration to check out. It has also pioneered the use of bar coded patient labels and has a highly developed hospital information system.

A high-end video conferencing facility helps doctors to communicate easily with other experts both in India and abroad.

“We have all the requirements of a most modern hospital except a cash counter,” said Safaya, a retired medical professional from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, with a smile.

Apart from establishing India’s first heart valve bank, the hospital hopes of conducting many a developmental activity during the fifth anniversary.

How to avail of free treatment

No bias of race, religion, wealth and social background in the case of patients.

Preference is given to emergency care.

Patients need not undergo any particular tests before admission.

A complete case history with details of all treatments and surgeries from the referring medical examiner is a must.

Report to the hospital between 8.30-10.30 am on any working day, except Sundays and public holidays.