One generally associates the staff of a Government hospital to be unsympathetic in attitude and brusque in behaviour but the doctors and other staff members of the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) hospital here has set up an example in care of the destitute and very poor patients. Moved by the plight of the destitute patients who have no one to care and have no money for even food, the Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital Dr K K Tamta set up a ‘ Destitute Fund’ on January 26, 2017.

The MS who was first to deposit Rs 10,000 in the fund motivated other doctors and staff members of the biggest government hospital of the state to donate generously for the fund.

Inspired by the noble initiative to help poor, the mission director of National Health Mission (NHM) Yugal Kishore Pant also gave a cheque of Rs 10,000 for the fund. A total of 20 destitute patients have been treated so far from this fund and a sum of Rs 41,164 was in balance in the bank account of the fund on Saturday.

The MS said that anyone interested in helping poor can deposit money in the account number – 50378256735 at Clock Tower, Dehradun branch of Allahabad bank.

For smooth operation of the fund and to maintain transparency a committee headed by the MS oversees the fund.

Senior Physician, Dr K C Pant is secretary of the destitute fund while its other members are District Pharmacy Officer, chief administrative officer of hospital and matron.

On the recommendation of the doctor treating the destitute patient, the approval withdrawal of money is made. 

“I have my self seen and experienced poverty. Me along with my four other siblings use to trek 22 km daily to attend and come home from our school. The destitute fund is created to help very poor patients. With this fund we purchase the medicine, equipment like implants for the destitute patients,’’ said Dr Tamta.