Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Feb 29: A meeting chaired by deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim was convened at DC's office here on Monday February 29 to discuss the proposed construction of a new building and renovation and restoration of the existing buildings of Wenlock district hospital by Kasturba Medical College (KMC).

Associate dean of KMC hospital, Dr Anand R gave a brief presentation on the proposed plan for Wenlock hospital and said, "The main emphasis will be on good operation theater, improving the wards and renovation and restoration of the old buildings. It would be taken up in 3 phases, that is construction of the building, renovation and restoration of existing buildings and consolidation of wards. The new building would be constructed at the spot where laundry and mortuary are currently located. The building would have basement, and ground plus 3 floors spread over a total area of 85,000 square feet, with each floor measuring 18,000 sq ft. The new building would have 10 operation theatres, 10-bedded pre-operative ward and 5-bedded surgical ICU.

"The basement will be completely used for parking and will accommodate about 80 to 90 cars. The ground floor will comprise 20 emergency beds, emergency operation theatre, 30-bedded orthopedic ward and 5-bedded ICU. The first floor will be exclusively for operation theatres. Second and third floors will be developed as wards for inpatients. It would take two years to complete this new building.

"In the second phase, renovation and restoration will be taken up, including repair of flooring, roof and changing of plumbing and electrical lines, and this would take another 3 years. We cannot take up both construction of new building and renovation work simultaneously, hence they will be undertaken in two phases. The entire project cost will be borne by KMC hospital," he added.

Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim asked Dr Anand to come up with more clarity on two points in this next meeting - on who will bear the expenses of the equipment and furniture that would be required to set up the new building, and secondly, who will supply the manpower required to run this new block. The next meeting will be held in a week's time.

District surgeon and medical superintendent Dr H R Rajeshwari Devi gave a presentation on the number of staff, income and expenditure of the hospital and the problems faced. "The hospital was sanctioned 31 senior specialists back in 1956, but no revision has been made since then. The hospital has grown in terms of patient inflow over the years and there are patients coming in from other districts too.

"KMC is contributing 98 senior specialists, 50 junior staff nurse 121 group D employees and 35 security personnel. Other than this, KMC also manages a lab and mortuary where services are given free of cost, thus making Wenlock the only district hospital in the state to give these services for free. About 17 nursing, 2 physiotherapy and 1 paramedical colleges use the clinical services at Wenlock hospital and they do not intern here. In the previous year, the hospital got Rs 17 crore from the budget, while the expenditure amounted to Rs 21 crore. The balance Rs 4 crore has been met from the Arogya Raksha Samiti fund collected through admission cards and clinical fees," she said.