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Kozhikode Medical college hospital forced to divert its fund for tribal care

The government has been providing Rs 60 lakh annually to the hospital for the tribal fund

KOZHIKODE: The tribal fund at Kozhikode Medical college hospital (MCH) meant for the health care of the tribal community patients have been spent long ago but the government has not responded to the request for releasing new funds.

To meet the demand, the fund from the Hospital development society (HDS) had been diverted and till date, Rs 2.5 crore has been pending towards the HDS.

“We have alerted the government but so far there has been no response,” said MCH Principal, Dr. P.V. Narayanan. The monthly-meeting at MCH expressed its concern on the need to immediately repay the HDS fund. “The fund crunch at HDS will hit the development works of the hospital,” said an official.

Apart from providing free medicine and treatment, the hospital has to provide travelling allowance or ambulance service for tribal patients during the time of discharge.

Wayanad being the district with the largest tribal population, most of the community members throng MCH for treatment.

The government has been providing Rs 60 lakh annually to the hospital for the tribal fund. Of the Rs 2.5 crore being utilized from the HDS fund, Rs 1.5 crore are the arrears of the government-owned ‘Neethi medicals’.

Meanwhile, a source at the district medical office confided that the finance department had been stopping the release of money. “The fund will be reimbursed. But the inordinate delay in getting the fund will worsen the situation in a major institution like MCH,” he said.

( Source : deccan chronicle )
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