Food from Iskcon kitchen for Sewri civic hospital in Mumbai

Patients with Tuberculosis (TB) admitted to Group of TB hospital (GTB) in Sewri will soon be served dishes prepared by cooks of Iskcon Food Relief Foundation (IFRF).

Patients with Tuberculosis (TB) admitted to Group of TB hospital (GTB) in Sewri will soon be served dishes prepared by cooks of Iskcon Food Relief Foundation (IFRF).

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The civic body, alarmed with the increasing complaints about the quality of food served at GTB hospital, has outsourced the kitchen to the Iskcon foundation.

“TB patients need a high-protein diet to compliment their anti-TB drugs. The IFRF will set up the kitchen in our premises and we will pay them on per-patient basis,” said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

At present, GTB hospital, which treats around 800 patients every day, serves them a meal of bread for breakfast, and bread and daal or vegetables for lunch. Apart from GTB Hospital, the civic body is in the process of appointing the foundation to provide food to patients at Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle, as well.

“We will cook vegetarian food prescribed by civic dieticians. Once the premise for the kitchen is allotted, machines will be installed for cooking,” said Radha Krishna Das, administrative advisor, Annamrita, IFRF. The foundation implements the schools’ mid-day meal programme in various parts of the country.

However, the civic body’s initiative has received flak from Sewri hospital’s employee union, which fears existing cooks and their assistants will lose their jobs. “We will make sure all these cooks are absorbed in other civic hospitals,” said a senior civic official.

“As diet is an integral part of TB treatment, we are hopeful that the better-quality food will help patients recover faster. We are also planning to refurbish patients’ wards,” said Dr Suhasni Nagda, director of major civic hospitals.