Sewri TB hospital to introduce non-veg food as diet option to patients | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Sewri TB hospital to introduce non-veg food as diet option to patients

BySomita Pal
May 03, 2023 12:46 AM IST

In 2014, the BMC had awarded the contract to prepare meals for patients at the 750-bed Sewri TB hospital, which is the largest TB hospital in Asia, to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). However, lack of necessary nutrition, animal protein, garlic, and ginger were always felt by patients with several demands by corporators to introduce non-vegetarian food in the diet.

Mumbai: In a first, Sewri Tuberculosis (TB) hospital, run by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is set to introduce non-veg food as a high-protein diet option to patients.

Mumbai, India - August 13, 2020: TB Hospital at Sewri in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, August 13, 2020. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)
Mumbai, India - August 13, 2020: TB Hospital at Sewri in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, August 13, 2020. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

As per the civic body’s decision that was taken last month, a chicken dish will be provided for non-vegetarian patients and extra high protein food for vegetarian patients in the diet plan twice a week either for lunch or dinner.

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In 2014, the BMC had awarded the contract to prepare meals for patients at the 750-bed Sewri TB hospital, which is the largest TB hospital in Asia, to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). However, lack of necessary nutrition, animal protein, garlic, and ginger were always felt by patients with several demands by corporators to introduce non-vegetarian food in the diet.

“During our discussion, keeping in mind the nutritional guideline document of the Central TB division, we decided to introduce non-veg food in the diet for better recovery of patients. It was felt for the longest time to introduce non-veg food in the diet and many times, our patients too had demanded it. We, finally, decided to introduce it,” said a senior official from Sewri TB Hospital.

The official added that the tendering process is underway, and the new diet plan will be rolled out at the earliest.

The extra high protein diet for non-vegetarian patients will include four chapatis, rice, dal, usal (twice a week for all patients), and chicken curry that will have 60gms of chicken. The extra high protein diet for vegetarian patients replaces chicken curry with paneer/soya chunks.

The civic body has also decided to introduce a soft non-spicy diet which will have soft-cooked khichdi, porridge (made of ragi/rawa/daliya/sewai) and a liquid diet, which will include vegetable soup, coconut water or dal, porridge (ragi/rawa/rice), buttermilk.

“Many times, patients are unable to eat solid food. There was a demand to introduce soft non-spicy and liquid diets to the menu. We have therefore included the same which will be given as per the patient’s treatment requirement,” said the official.

Welcoming the decision to introduce non-veg in the diet, Ganesh Acharya, TB activist said patients used to get eggs but that is not enough.

“We have to respect the diet culture of the patient. Most are long-stay patients, and many are not even visited by their families. Due to the side effects of the treatment, one does not have an appetite. But patients have demanded non-veg food and a decision has been taken to introduce it finally,” he said.

Dr Lancelot Pinto, pulmonologist and epidemiologist, PD Hinduja Hospital-Mahim said having protein-dense food has always been associated with being important for recovery from illness, especially, in an illness like TB where there is muscle wasting and weight loss due to the illness.

“Loss of appetite and weight loss are among the commonest symptoms of TB. As a treating physician, weight gain after treatment has begun is a very important parameter of gauging a patient’s recovery. The fact that a lot of individuals have a loss of appetite generally means that giving them a small volume, but protein- and calorie-dense food becomes crucial. While it isn’t impossible to achieve the same with vegetarian food, if patients who are non-vegetarian are given access to the same, it may help them achieve their dietary goals with greater ease” he said.

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