In order to monitor the utilisation of the grant amount during the first year of its implementation, the Health Department had asked for a detailed expenditure account of the budget allocated for the financial year 2008-09. It has also announced slashing of the following year's grant amount as per the utilisation of the amount on health camps in the district this year.

As such, the top priority for almost every general hospital now is to organise the health camps that were procrastinated through the year.

The health camps, which should ideally be carried out every month at the slum pockets of the city, have been left pending.

At the Sir Sayajirao General Hospital, out of the annual grant of Rs 65 lakh, only one health camp has been conducted throughout the year. The authorities have now lined up as many as seven camps to be carried out before March at various areas in the city.

SSG Hospital Superintendent Dr V P Hathila said: “The grant amount reached us a little late. Though we have been a bit late on our side as well, we will try to conduct as many camps as possible.”

The camps organised include different departments of the hospital and the grant amount covers every aspect of the camp, including commutation, medicines and expenses for other mobile units for carrying out diagnostic tests at the camp sites.

Those in need of further supervision and treatment are sent to the nodal centre at the city's general hospital.

According to an official at the SSG, over 300 to 500 locals had visited the earlier camp for check up. The camp roughly cost Rs 3 lakh, the official said.

The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has had over seven camps in the city. “We still have a month to go and we will be able to cover the grant amount,” said Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr M M Anchalia.