In a compassionate move aimed at easing the burden on families of hospitalised patients, the Uttarakhand government will soon construct rest houses (Vishram Grah) for attendants and relatives of patients at Government Medical Colleges in Dehradun and Haldwani. These rest houses will offer essential facilities such as accommodation, seating areas, drinking water, food, and sanitation.
The decision was formalised on Wednesday through an MoU signed between the Department of Medical Education and the SevaDaan Arogya Foundation in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the Secretariat.
Facilities to Ease the Stay of Patient Attendants
CM Dhami stated that the initiative will provide a great relief to those who accompany patients during long treatments. He also suggested that a similar arrangement should be extended to the AIIMS Satellite Centre in Kichha, to which the foundation has agreed.
Each Vishram Grah will feature:
Breakfast at ₹20
Lunch and Dinner at ₹35
Dormitory beds from ₹55 to ₹75
Double-bed rooms at ₹330
AC double rooms at ₹850
Four-bed rooms at ₹75 per bed
The SevaDaan Arogya Foundation will construct rest houses with a total capacity of 350 beds. These will include five 10-bed and two 8-bed dormitories (₹55/bed), five 6-bed dormitories (₹75/bed), thirty-three double-bed rooms (₹330/room), eight AC double-bed rooms (₹850/room), and thirty-six four-bed rooms (₹75/bed).
Government Understands the Hardships of Families
Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said the government recognises the emotional and logistical challenges that attendants face while caring for their loved ones in hospitals.
“Attendants often spend day and night at hospitals with patients. Understanding their hardships, the government has decided to construct Vishram Grahs, starting with Dehradun and Haldwani,” said Dr. Rawat.
Present at the event were Health Secretary Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar, Secretaries Vinay Shankar Pandey and Sridhar Babu Addanki, Director of Medical Education Dr. Ashutosh Sayana, and representatives from SevaDaan Arogya Foundation, including Abhishek Saxena, Anand Singh Bisen, and Amit Das.
This initiative is seen as a step toward humanizing healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that those supporting patients during recovery also receive dignity, comfort, and affordable services.
