Master plan to upgrade General Hospital

KOCHI: In a major initiative, the government is coming up with a master plan to upgrade the facilities at the Ernakulam General Hospital. The master plan will be implemented using the regional development fund of the people’s representatives including the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members. Union Minister K V Thomas has already issued a directive to District Collector P I Sheik Pareed to call a meeting of various officials within a month. The directive was issued during the review meeting held at the hospital. The Union Minister has instructed the officials to carry out the developmental activities being implemented using the MP fund without delay. Any delay in implementing these projects will be viewed seriously, the Minister said. The amount allocated once cannot be changed due to any reason, he said.  The master plan will include a couple of projects. The hospital quarters on about one acre property near the Chief Post-Office has been lying vacant for some time. Currently there are plans to set up special facilities for women and children on this property. Along with this the quarters will be renovated. The hospital superintendent said that the Sathya Sai Trust has agreed to set up a dialysis unit for the hospital. The technicians for the project will be made available by the Trust. The associated facilities for this will be made available soon. Hibi Eden MLA, District Collector P I Sheik Pareed, hospital superintendent Dr Junaid Rahman and heads of various departments attended the meeting.