Day-care chemotherapy centres will be opened at district government hospitals next month: Dinesh Gundu Rao

Each centre will have 10 beds. Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru too will get a centre

by · The Hindu

The State government will open day-care chemotherapy centres at district government hospitals, including Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru, next month, said Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Addressing presspersons on Saturday, Mr. Gundu Rao, who is in-charge of Dakshina Kannada, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will launch the centres simultaneously across Karnataka. Each centre will have 10 beds.

The centre at Wenlock Hospital is ready for inauguration. It will be made operational in association with Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, he said.

Mr. Gundu Rao said that when compared to the facilities at the Government Lady Goschen Hospital in Mangaluru, Wenlock Hospital required a facelift. A new OPD Block will have to be constructed. As per a 2017 agreement with the KMC, Mangaluru, its management will have to construct the OPD Block. “I will pursue the matter further with the KMC management,” he said.

Listing out other facilities required at the Wenlock Hospital, he said that it requires a new mortuary building, a para medical college building, a kitchen, a post mortem building, and an air bridge. If the facilities are to be created it might require between ₹6 crore and ₹10 crore. The hospital management should look for CSR funds to take up the facilities. The State government will also release its funds. A final decision on taking up the projects will be taken within the next two months.

Referring to strengthening the Polali bridge across the Phalguni, near Polali Rajarajeshwari Temple, he said that PWD has estimated the repair/strengthening cost at ₹6.1 crore. PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi has assured that the fund will be sanctioned. Short-term bids will be invited for the purpose. The bidding process might take a month. Later, it will require three months to complete the strengthening works.

Constructing a new bridge at Polali might require ₹50 crore. It is inevitable to build a new bridge after getting necessary approvals, Mr. Gundu Rao said. He said that another bridge at Ulaibettu will also be strengthened.

Published - November 16, 2024 07:10 pm IST