Kullu Regional Hospital (RH) will now provide free dialysis under the schemes of Himcare and Ayushman Bharat Yojana, whereby it will benefit the residents of Kullu and adjoining districts. The scheme is supported by the Hans Foundation, which provides quality health services to economically marginalized sections of the population. The hospital has also entered into an agreement with private healthcare institutions to expand its services.
There has been planning for putting a dialysis center in Manali so as to satisfy the growing demand from that part of the region regarding the demand of dialysis service. This falls into one of the agendas put by the Himachal Pradesh state which aimed to facilitate increased healthcare delivery towards rural regions and unreached population segments.
According to Dr. Nag Raj Panwar, CMO Kullu, the government is committed to enhancing accessibility to health services. “Our target is to provide quality, free medical services right at the doorstep of every citizen,” he said, referring to the administration’s focus on taking healthcare to even the remotest of places.
The health infrastructure in the Kullu district is very strong with 147 government health institutions, including the regional hospital, five civil hospitals, eight community health centers, and 25 primary health centers. There are also 108 sub-health and wellness centers that provide healthcare services to a large population daily.
The RH at Kullu serves local patients as well as patients from remote areas, such as Lahaul Spiti, Mandi, and Chamba districts. The OPD in the hospital receives between 1,000 to 1,200 patients on a daily basis, with the district-wide OPD visits averaging between 3,000 to 4,000. With the dedicated workforce of about 200 health workers at the regional hospital and 400 staff members across the district, the hospital provides specializations in various fields.
Many essential medical tests and drugs are also available free or at concessionary rates, making the health services affordable to the community. The health infrastructure is being improved continuously, and there are regular proposals submitted to the government for further development. The CMO again mentioned that the administration was committed to welfare schemes to improve the health delivery system for the underserved population.
