Government Rajaji Hospital here witnesses a steady flow of about 10,000 patients and their attendants every day.
Many, including the likes of V. Hari from Dindigul, whose mother is getting treated for heart ailment, are staying in the hospital for long. Hari has his coffee at the canteen of this big hospital and later rushes to the Amma Unavagam for breakfast. “I must hurry and reach there in five minutes or I’ll miss the idlis,” he says.
Hari hails from a poor farming family and cannot afford to spend much on food. His family is in debts for three years now as crops have failed due to scanty rains. He considers himself lucky on days he eats two square meals.
The steaming hot idlis at the canteen are sold out within minutes of their arrival. “I’ve availed a loan for 40 % interest from a landlord for my mother’s treatment. How can I afford food at city restaurants,” he says.
There are approximately 2,500 beds at the hospital. Each inpatient comes with two or three attendants, say the staff at the Amma Unavagam. A total of 300 curd rice packets costing ₹5 each; 300 sambar rice packets at ₹ 3 each and 1,200 idlis at ₹ one each are sold here.
Members of Pandi Women’s Self-Help Group, which runs the Amma Unavagam, say the breakfast invites a huge crowd. “We are unable to cater to everybody due to the limited supply. Some buy 10-15 idlis in one go. The people in the end of the line are usually disappointed. Lunch, however, is normally available for all,” one of the staff says.
The SHG members have asked their circle managers to increase the current rations to cater to more number of people. “We are yet to get a response,” they say.
The hospital has two canteens. The meals in the afternoon cost 10 times the price at Amma Unavagam. Earlier, people usually filled themselves up with a tea and snack if they could not find the means.
The situation has changed with the introduction of Pasiyilla Madurai, an initiative by the Madurai Corporation and Palakarangal, an NGO, with support from Sri Meenakshi Caterers which contributes food for 500 people daily.
Alima Banu Sikkandhar, founder of the NGO, says despite all their efforts, several people at the GRH continue to go hungry. According to a survey conducted by the organisation, an average of 960 people still require food daily.
“We are looking to increase the number of packets but we need donors. A.M. Ramakrishnan of Meenakshi Caterers gives food free of cost but we continue to expand to other areas. So we need the support of more people. It is common to hear of attendants of poor patients going hungry at the hospital,” she says.
V. Sabari, one of the many attendants who depend on food dished out here, said he had been looking after his friend who was injured in a fire accident in Virudhunagar. “But for the subsidised and free food, people like us will suffer a lot since we cannot afford to have food from restaurants outside the hospital,” he says.
Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar says the number of food packets sold at Amma Canteen is not going to be increased. “If there is a demand, we will ensure that the gap is bridged through Pasiyilla Madurai,” he says.
NGOs are coming together to conduct ‘hunger mapping’ to relieve the city of its hunger.
