Government Lady Goschen Hospital new building may be ready by June 2015: Lobo

MLA J R Lobo has hinted that the construction work of new building of Government Lady Goschen Hospital which is undertaken with the financial assistance of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) would not be finished in this year and it would be completed by June, 2015.

He was speaking to media persons after visiting various departments of the hospital here on Tuesday. 

The 260 bed capacity hospital is attending to more than the double capacity of patients. The hospital records 500 deliveries every month. The admission of patients has reached upto 70 on few days.

Still, the hospital has maintained an infant mortality rate of less than 5 (per 1000) and maternal mortality of less than 2. The hospital is taking help from KMC Hospital staff. It is facing staff crunch and needs at least 50 group ‘D’ workers, he said.

Meanwhile, he informed that MP Veerappa Moily will formally inaugurate the Red Cross Blood Component separation unit in the hospital premises on Saturday. 

Ladygoschen Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Shakuntala M M said that the hospital is facing scarcity of water as the number of patients is large. 

Mangalore City Corporation supplies water at night, but it is not enough to meet the demand, she said. Corporator Poornima and Paediatrician Dr Shantharam Baliga were also present on the occasion. 

‘Sophisticated SNCU’

Dr Shakuntala M M said that the government has sanctioned 12 beds of Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) three years ago. In 33 SNCUs of the State, this is considered as the best.

In the new building, third floor will be reserved for SNCU and different levels of units will be set up to treat normal to serious patients. That will be modularised with advanced technologies like infection control system, air filter etc.

There will be a separate 60-bed child care unit. For Neonatal Resuscitation Programme (NRP), Rs 10.6 crore has been sanctioned. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) would establish the centre for excellence for neonates here and another for paediatrics at RAPCC, she said. 

She said that 80 per cent of work of new building is over. Rs 6.5 crore payment has been done. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has promised Rs 22.7 crore for the project and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has sanctioned Rs 10.6 crore.

A meeting will be convened regarding the same at the hospital on October 15, at 11 am. The District-in-Charge Minister, MRPL MD and others would participate in the meeting, she said.