State-of-the-Art Surgical Block by Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) at District Wenlock Hospital May Be Ready by January 2024
Mangaluru: The Wenlock District Hospital, which was founded in 1848 by the British, is all set to celebrate 175 years of service for poor patients, from more than 10 districts of Karnataka and Kerala. It is learnt that a committee has been formed soon to chalk out plans for the 175th anniversary of the hospital. The hospital will soon open the new surgical block with 12 operation theatres, ahead of the 175th anniversary celebrations. The inauguration of the new surgical block and the 175th-anniversary celebrations will be held separately.
A discussion on setting up a committee was with the district minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao recently and the minister had sought a detailed report on the funds required for the additional equipment required for the new block. While 50% of the equipment in operation theatres of the hospitals could be shifted to the new block, additional equipment will have to be procured.
As per sources the new surgical block at the Wenlock District Hospital in the city will be inaugurated by January 2024, said Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. Speaking after visiting the new surgical block at the hospital, Kateel said that the work on the seven-storey building (including ground floor and basement) has already been completed at a cost of Rs 43 crore, through the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL). An additional Rs 20 crore is being spent by the MSCL to arrange for surgical equipment for the new block.
” The 14,632 sq m state-of-the-art surgical block at the government hospital being provided by the MSCL at a cost of Rs 63 crore will be ready by January. The surgical block will have 12 modular operation theatres and 250 beds, and it will also have 129 general beds. Further, the block will have two x-ray rooms, technicians’ room, two ultrasound scanning units, CT scan unit, MRI scan facility, ICU with eight beds, 20 beds for pre-operative care and 24 beds for post-operative care” added Kateel.
” Though the work was taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 43 crore, we have decided to sanction an additional Rs 20 crore under the Smart City Mission for the purchase of surgical equipment for the surgical block. Once all the equipment arrives, a full-fledged block will be ready for use. A large number of patients from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga and Kasaragod districts depend on the Wenlock Hospital for treatment. The new surgical block will benefit poor patients, he said. I have urged the Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to sanction new dialysis machines for the hospital” added MP Kateel.
MP Kateel also said that while the hospital has 23 dialysis machines, nine are not functioning, and a large number of poor patients are depending on Wenlock Hospital for dialysis. With the defunct machines, patients are inconvenienced. Hence, the health minister should take up the issue seriously, to sanction new machines to the hospital,”
Speaking to Team Mangalorean MSCL General Manager (technical) Er Arun Prabha said that work on the five-storey surgical block with a basement and ground floor was taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 43 crore. The work is expected to be completed soon. A bridge has also been constructed to connect the old medicine block of the hospital to the new surgical block. The work has been taken up as per the norms of National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the National Building Code,”
It is also learnt that though 387 out of 619 sanctioned posts in Wenlock District Hospital are remaining vacant, the KMC Hospital has been deputing necessary staff, including specialists and nurses. The hospital has 232 staff, including medical officers, specialists and others, appointed by the health department. Meanwhile, the KMC has been providing 415 staff, including 106 specialists, 90 nurses, 9 lab technicians, an X-ray technician, two electricians, 17 MRD data e
