The government hopes to complete the construction of the Cochin Cancer Centre building within one-and-a-half years.
Health Minister Veena George, who reviewed the progress of the developmental works at the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, and the centre along with Industries Minister P. Rajeeve here on Tuesday, said that steps would be taken to remove legal hurdles for the smooth completion of the construction work. Work on the new building came to a halt in December last year after the government cancelled the contractor’s agreement for delays in executing the work that began in 2018. The contractor had approached the Kerala High Court against the government decision.
The Health Minister said that she would consult Mr. Rajeeve to expedite the legal process and start the work without delay. Infrastructure Kerala Ltd, which is implementing the project, had issued work orders to the new contractor. Ms. George said that the functioning of the cancer centre at the medical college hospital will resume by September second week. The cancer centre was shifted to the Ernakulam General Hospital after the Medical College Hospital was turned into a COVID-19 care centre last year. Surgeries were done at the Indira Gandhi Co-operative Hospital.
Operation theatres
The Minister said that the operation theatres at the hospital will start functioning from September 10 onwards after completing safety tests. The operations theatres were shut four months ago for maintenance work. Surgeries of non-COVID patients had also come to a halt following the situation.
On the delay in the construction work on the ₹386-crore mother-and-child super speciality block at the hospital, Ms. George said that the works will resume within two days. The differences among contractors over payment issues will be resolved in a week. The target is to start the functioning of the block by November next year. The construction of the sewage treatment plant has to be completed before September 30, she said.
Mr. Rajeeve said that the medical college hospital should have speciality wings in trauma care, neurosurgery and urology. The office of the Public Works Department will start functioning at the hospital from next week, he said.
