The Pathanamthitta General Hospital is all set to get a major facelift with a meeting of the Hospital Management Committee (HMC) here on Saturday deciding to prepare a master plan for comprehensive development of the healthcare facility.
Addressing the meeting, Health Minister Veena George said the preparation of the master plan with the help of the National Health Mission would begin next week after preliminary discussions by a subcommittee led by the municipal chairman of Pathanamthitta. It envisages taking up a host of development works with financial assistance from the State government and using the MLA funds.
The draft prepared by the subcommittee will be finalised after approval by the Minister.
As part of it, some of the old buildings at the site will be replaced with a new multistorey complex, to be constructed on 17 cents at a cost of ₹10 crore. This is in addition to the construction of a 10-bed isolation ward along with an ICU facility at a cost of ₹1.25 crore .
As many as six oxygen beds with ventilator facilities will be set up at the paediatric ICU, the construction of which is in the final stages. The NHM will provide ₹20 lakh for the purchase of equipment to the facility.
The HMC meeting decided to build a new seven-bed ICU near the cath lab , besides upgrading the pay ward. A new medical store in the cooperative sector will be opened on the hospital premises.
To an allegation that drugs were illegally distributed from the hospital without HMC permission, the Minister directed the District Medical Officer to probe the incident and submit a report.
