Health Minister V. S. Vijay visited the Government Rajaji Hospital and the recently constructed annexe building near Anna bus stand on Tuesday.
Accompanied by Minister for Cooperation Sellur K. Raju and senior health officials, he inspected the facilities provided at the annexe building which is yet to be functional even though it was formally inaugurated just before the Assembly elections.
Even though a large number of presspersons were present at the spot during his first visit to the GRH, Mr. Vijay avoided the media and refused to take any questions from the waiting reporters. After repeated pleas, he just said that the annexe building, which would house trauma care facilities and pay wards, would be made functional at the earliest. “We are here to inspect the facilities and put them to use soon,” he said.
At the extension wing, GRH Medical Superintendent S. M. Sivakumar apprised him about the various wards coming up and the facilities to be provided for patients. He went around the ICU block, operation theatres, pay wards, VIP ward and speciality blocks.
He made a particular enquiry about fire extinguishers installed at various points in the multi-storey annexe building which is yet to get medical equipment and other infrastructure for giving treatment. Mr. Vijay instructed the Public Works Department officials to make sure that there was adequate fire-fighting equipment in the hospital.
Later, the Health Minister along with MLAs and health officials went to the GRH and held a review meeting for nearly an hour. C. Vamsadhara, Director of Medical Education, was present.
At the GRH, he visited only the Intensive Respiratory Care Ward to meet a woman patient undergoing treatment. Later, the Minister left for Sivaganga to inspect the work on construction of a medical college there.
