Minister for Health Adoor Prakash inaugurated three facilities — a training centre for palliative care, a blood component separation unit and a surgical intensive care unit — at the A.A. Rahim Memorial District Hospital here on Tuesday.
In his inaugural address, the Minister said the district hospital would soon have a dialysis unit and a dietary kitchen. The number of patients requiring dialysis was increasing at an alarming level in the State. Most of them find it difficult to meet the expenses for dialysis at private hospitals.
Mr. Prakash said he had received a huge number of telephone calls in the connection. Upon realising the gravity of the situation the government decided to provide dialysis facility at all district hospitals and include it in the 100-day programme. The dietary kitchen would be under the Social Welfare Department.
He warned of strong action against doctors who take long leave soon after joining service to work elsewhere.
A community health insurance scheme, Rajiv Arogyashri, introduced by the Andhra Pradesh government would be implemented here too, he said.
Kollam MLA P.K. Gurudasan said the Minister should ensure the speedy completion of the new block of the hospital. The Minister replied that he would hold talks with the Public Works Department in this connection.
Mayor Prasanna Earnest, district panchayat president R. Gopalakrishna Pillai, vice-president B. Jayanti and the Health Standing Committee chairman S.L. Sajikumar spoke.
