Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), which became operational four years ago in Madikeri, is being expanded with the foundation stone for a 450-bed hospital attached to the institute to be laid on Monday.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will give a start to the construction on the existing teaching hospital premises. Once the 450-hospital facility (300-bed unit and 150-bed unit) is ready in about two years, the number of beds for healthcare services will rise to 750 as the existing hospital has 300 beds.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Medical Education C.N. Ashwath Narayan and Minister in-charge of Kodagu V. Somanna will be present. MLA Appachu Ranjan addressed presspersons at Madikeri on Saturday to present details about the hospital project.
KIMS has an intake of 150 seats and currently 600 students are pursuing a medical degree and post-graduate courses. In 2016, the district hospital was converted into the teaching hospital of KIMS and it was in need of an upgrade in complying with the norms of the Medical Council of India. Accordingly, the hospital is now being expanded with additional 450 beds at a cost of ₹100 crore. The construction for 300 beds will be take place on the existing hospital premises while the 150-bed facility will come up on the premises of women and children’s hospital.
Cariappa K.B., Dean and Director, KIMS, told The Hindu that the expansion of the hospital will benefit the people of Kodagu as well as neighbouring taluks since the outpatient load had risen to 900 from 200 in three years. Multispeciality services will be convenient for those looking to Mysuru and other places for those services as Madikeri has only a few hospitals and nursing homes under private ownership.
Radiology department
On an average, 75% of beds are occupied in the hospital and the expansion will give rise to adding up of more speciality departments, he added. “We are in need of manpower for the radiology department as the hospital is equipped with ultrasound and CT scan equipment,” he said.
