Health Minister announces demolition of Govt. Wenlock Hospital’s old building to build new critical care unit
The State government has sanctioned ₹23 crore for building a new critical care block
Dinesh Gundu Rao, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister, at the Arogya Raksha Samithi meeting in Mangaluru on Saturday, August 17.
| Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
With the old Government Wenlock Hospital building, comprising the administrative block, OPD, and critical care unit leaking, Minister for Health and Family Welfare in charge of Dakshina Kannada Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday, August 17, asked officials to demolish the old building and construct a new critical care block on the same site.
While demolishing the building, the administrative block having heritage value should be retained, he said.
K.S. Aruna Prabha, General Manager of Mangaluru Smart City Limited, speaking at the Arogya Raksha Samithi meeting in Mangaluru on Saturday, August 17.
| Photo Credit:
H.S. Manjunath
During a meeting of the hospital’s Arogya Raksha Samiti chaired by Mr. Rao, samiti member Padmanabha Amin pointed out the frequent repairs of the old structure. The Assistant Executive Engineer of the Health Department said over ₹2 crore was required for repairs and said the repairs would not serve any purpose.
The Minister then said the State government has sanctioned ₹23 crore for building a new critical care block. “Submit a proposal to demolish the old building and re-construct the new critical care block by August 28 when I will be in Mangaluru for a review meeting. We will take the necessary decision,” the Minister told the Health Department Engineer. The Kasturba Medical College, which has a PPP with the hospital, will chip in with additional funds required for completing the critical care block, the minister added.
Two PROs
The Minister asked Hospital Superintendent Jesinta D’Souza to submit a proposal to the government for using Arogya Raksha Samiti funds to appoint two Public Relations Officers. The funds can be used for appointing more data entry operators to prevent long queues at the Hospital’s OPD.
With the government’s proposal to hike user charges, income of the hospital will be doubled, the Minister said.
When Dr. D’Souza expressed the need for additional manpower to open the new surgical block, the Minister asked the former to submit floor-wise requirements of staff. Associate Dean of Kasturba Medical College Mangaluru, Suresh Kumar Shetty, said the cath lab at the basement of the surgical block will be operational by September.
On the absence of staff nurses in the hospital, Dr. Shetty said the KMC was also finding it hard to find staff nurses and asked Dr. D’Souza to find required staff nurses. To the irregular salary paid to 188 contractual Group D patient care workers, the Minister said he will look into the issue and address it.
Read Comments
- Copy link
- Telegram
READ LATER
Remove
SEE ALL
PRINT