The new block of the Government Lady Goschen Hospital here should have been ready by March 23, the latest deadline set by Minister for Health and Family Welfare K.R. Ramesh Kumar in December last. But according to officials, it will take two more months to be ready.
The Minister announced the new deadline at a review meeting here on December 10. When reporters pointed out that earlier deadlines had not been met, Mr. Kumar went on record, “Before saying something I think a lot. So far, I have not failed in keeping my word.”
Having granted ₹ 3 crore for pending works and releasing ₹ 10 crore for additional works, the Minister said the new block would be fully functional on March 23 — the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Ram Manohar Lohia. As on Thursday, the physical structure of the five-storeyed 50-bed building is ready. Finishing works are under progress. Orders are being issued to take up works such as external electrification, setting up an operation theatre, high-ventilation air conditioning system, and labour theatre for which the government has released ₹10 crore. Officials said the new block of the hospital is likely to be completed by June first week. Meanwhile, the work of building a new 60-bed maternity and child health wing of the hospital at a cost of ₹ 10.46 crore has started. The construction of the new block of the hospital has been dogged with delays and thus making it hard for doctors and staff at the hospital in taking care of mother and child in the limited space available. Regarded as the busiest maternity hospital in the district, the hospital handles an average of 450 cases of delivery every month that includes 200 cases of high-risk pregnancy. Apart from those from the district, patients from different parts of the State — Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkamgaluru, Kodagu —and parts of Kerala use the hospital. The construction work of the new block started in 2011 by demolishing a portion of the old block of the hospital. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation are giving ₹ 21 crore out of its corporate social responsibility programme for the new block.
