Need For Hospital Feeding Programme In Mumbai

By Author: Akshaya
Total Articles: 6
Comment this article

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the world produces enough food to feed 10 billion people versus the actual world population of 7.9 billion. Yet around 821 million people across the world surrender to hunger, every single day. According to 2020 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 94th out of 107 countries and is categorised under the bracket of being in ‘serious’ hunger situation.
Bringing our focus to Mumbai, the financial capital of India, ironically ranks the worst on hunger index in Maharashtra and urban India. Akshaya Chaitanya, an NGO in Mumbai consciously decided to intervene and alleviate hunger by first addressing hunger in public hospitals in Mumbai. This NGO provides free food to marginalised people who visit the public hospitals for treatment. Apart from meeting the food needs of people, Akshaya Chaitanya aims at taking off the burden of food cost and helping the marginalised to save money for treatment. No wonder the freshly prepared, hot, and nutritious meals are considered as a blessing by the beneficiaries.
The Need for Hospital Feeding in Mumbai

Of ...
... the total 22 million, more than 9 million people live in the slums.
• Their monthly income ranges from anywhere below INR 7,000 to a maximum of 25,000.
• Since they are either illiterate or at most have secondary level education, majority of them work as daily wagers.
• More than 90% of them neither have medical insurance nor sufficient disposable income and so in the event of hospitalisation, they have to meet the expenses completely out of pocket.
• The public hospitals in Mumbai are the only resort for this section of people in the event of any health issue.
• Hospitalisation and medicine cost is a huge burden for them. To save money to meet hospitalisation cost, most of them either go hungry or consume cheap junk food. To address this, Akshaya Chaitanya started giving food for free in public hospitals

Akshaya Chaitanya takes care of the entire process, right from procuring raw materials, to food preparation, packing, delivering, and serving at hospitals. This NGO in Mumbai prepares the food at its state-of-the-art, FSSAI certified kitchen in Byculla and follows a cyclic locally palatable menu. This ensures the food served to people is freshly prepared, nutritious, and hygienic.

Impact created so far

Akshaya Chaitanya began the service of hospital feeding in Mumbai in July 2021. During the past 2 months, it has already served more than 42,000 meals in four public hospitals - St. George Hospital, Cama & Albless Hospital, Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital, and BYL Nair Hospital.

Here’s what the one of Akshaya Chaitanya’s beneficiaries have to say:

Vijaykumar Thakur, is a Delivery Man residing in Kalbadevi, Mumbai. He is a native of Baddupur, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Every month, he sends money to his family in Baddupur. He visits G.T. Hospital, almost every alternate day for treatment of his injury caused during an accident while he was on his way to deliver a package. The treatment cost has already exceeded ₹15,000 and due to the injury, he is off duty which has put a stop to his regular income. He has borrowed money from friends and is also using up his savings. He said that there is nothing more satisfying than the plate full of food he gets for free, every time he visits the hospital. This meal fills his stomach and also helps him to save money for his family. In Vijaykumar’s words, “Sahab main Mumbai mein akela rehta hoon aur khud khana banata hoon par itna accha toh nehi banata. Aur garam khana kaun deta hai sahab? Bohot paise bach jate hain yahan khana khane se. Yeh paise agle mahine main ghar bhejunga.” (“Sir, I stay alone in Mumbai and prepare my own food, but it is not as good as this meal. And who gives hot food, sir? A lot of money gets saved by eating food here. I will send this money home next month.”)

Ensure food security for people like Vijaykumar

Your contribution towards Akshaya Chaitanya will help the NGO take this much-needed service to more people in need across public hospitals in Mumbai. When you donate food to the poor, you not only satiate their hunger, but also support their health and help them save money for treatment. You also aid in their speedy recovery that enables them to resume work at the earliest because they neither have paid leaves nor insurance policy, and they completely depend on the earnings of each working day.

Contribute generously towards Hospital Feeding Programme. All contributions above ₹500 are eligible to be considered for 80G deduction as per tax exemption policy.

Address silent hunger in public hospitals.
Support Akshaya Chaitanya’s Hospital Feeding Programme.