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

Mangaluru, Dec 9: Health minister Ramesh Kumar on Friday December 9 said that the new block under construction at Lady Goschen government hospital here is nearing completion and would be inaugurated on March 23, 2017.

Addressing a press meet at the deputy commissioner's office here, Ramesh Kumar said, "People's representatives of this region had raised issues relating to Wenlock and Lady Goschen hospitals, thus I have come here to announce some of the measures taken to address those issues and various development works that have been undertaken in this regard.

Speaking about Lady Goschen hospital, he said, "MRPL under its CSR programme had undertaken work on constructing a 500-bed hospital block. As of now, about Rs 18 crore worth of work has been completed. There was a shortage of about Rs 10 crore, which has been released by the state government. The new block will be inaugurated on March 23, 2017."

Regarding Wenlock hospital, he said, "Wenlock is a major hospital in the district and people from various other districts also come here to avail medical facilities. The state government has released Rs 9.70 crore under NABARD for the construction of the new block which will be of three floors accomodating 126 beds. An estimated sum of Rs 18.20 crore would be required for the restoration of the old block, out of which Rs 5 crore has already been sanctioned and tender process has also been completed.

"Also, a grant of Rs 30 lac has been sanctioned in order to continue peritonial dialysis facility in Wenlock," he added.

"Rs 13 lac has been granted to renovate the paedriatic care centre. By end of December, all the critical vacancies will be filled. The paediatric care centre will be elevated as a regional institute for which Rs 3 crore will be released. We have already held talks with Vani Vilas institute in this regar. By elevating the centre as a regional institute, more facilities can be given."

"Wenlock will be made autonomous after construction of new block"

On the proposed construction of a new block at Wenlock hospital by KMC, he said, "KMC and Wenlock hospitals signed MoU in 1954 and accordingly, KMC has been providing human resource, maintaining equipment, laboratory, diagnostic services at a cost of Rs 26 crore annually. The MoU will expire in 2017, so we have asked KMC to build a super-speciality block of one lac sq ft with all surgical equipment. To build this new block, KMC has to spend Rs 100 to 120 crore. The intention is that the people of this region should avail benefits of a super-speciality hospital. The maintenance of the block and provision of human resource will be taken care of by KMC and will be provided free of cost to the patients. Wenlock will be made autonomous after this is done.

"If KMC does not agree to the government's clauses, then the contract will not be signed. However, KMC has shown tremendous interest in taking up the project," he added.

"We urge the private hospitals to support the government hospitals by providing equipment or financial support, as the government cannot fund everything," he appealed.

Asked whether Wenlock would be privatised by handing the project over to KMC, the minister said, "KMC has been availing benefits from the Wenlock government hospital, and in return, the hospital has been benefiting from KMC, hence there is no question of charging the patients. The facilities will be given free of cost. If KMC does not agree, the contract will not be signed."

On why there was no medical college built for Wenlock by the government, he said, "Super-speciality hospital is our priority. There are about 53 private and government medical colleges in the state whereas we have only 10,300 primary health centres. Hence, the priority is on giving more facilities to poor patients through a super-speciality hospital."

Spandana Centre

Prior to the press meet, district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai inaugurated Spandana Centre at the DC's office, providing a single-window system to avail RTC and offering other citizen services related to the revenue department.