The construction of the much-awaited new block of Government Lady Goschen Hospital has been delayed. The building, which was proposed to be ready by the end of this year, is likely to be ready only by June 2015.
During the review of the progress of construction on Tuesday, Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Shankunatala M. told Mangalore MLA J.R. Lobo that recent changes in the norms for funding of projects taken up under corporate social responsibility (CSR) had affected the flow of funds from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL).
The company has released Rs. 6.5 crore for the Rs. 21.7 crore six-storeyed block of the Lady Goschen Hospital. “We are expecting clearance of pending bills of Rs. 2.5 crore in the next few weeks. The new Managing Director of MRPL has assured the company’s continued support for the project,” she said. District in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai would chair a separate meeting on Wednesday on the issue, she said.
Dr. Shankuntala said so far the contractors had finished 80 per cent of the work on the building. “There has been a drop in the pace of construction,” she told Mr. Lobo.
Plans
Paediatrician Shantram Baliga told Mr. Lobo that a blueprint has been prepared to provide Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on the third floor of the new building. “This will be a centre of excellence for neonatal care where doctors and nurses will be trained,” he said, adding that additional funds were necessary for it. “We need to invest in technology and bring down infant mortality,” he added. NICU would be for babies within the first 28 days of their birth.
Dr. Shakunatala said the hospital had been attending to around 6,000 delivery cases every year from the district and Kerala.
The Special Neonatal Care Unit of the hospital has been ranked the best among the 33 such units in the State as the rate of survival of babies here was 90 per cent.
There had been only two deaths of women in the last 13,000 cases of pregnant women attended by the hospital, she said.
Local councillor Poornima told Mr. Lobo that a part of the premises on the Bibi Alabi Road should be given up for construction of public toilet. This would prevent people easing themselves near the compound wall, she said.
Courtesy : The Hindu