KOZHIKODE: The state’s ambitious trauma care project has been hit by the non-release of funds by the finance department.
The acclaimed model, a first-of-its-kind in the country, was developed by Kerala and the centre had allotted Rs 21 crore to the state to implement the project.
The first installment of Rs 7.7 crore was handed over in December 2014 but the fund has not yet reached the health department.
“We have approached the finance ministry several times asking for the release of the fund. The fact that funds are not spent will hamper the release of the second installment. The second installment will only be handed over after the submission of the expenditure statement,” said a top official in the health department who requested anonymity.
Upon the insistence of the finance department, the health officials had opened an account in March but no fund transfer was done.
The centre has allotted one fourth of the total fund of the national trauma care programme to Kerala considering the state’s head-start in the area.
The officials at the finance department told DC that the file had been pending before the deputy secretary (health and labour) of the ministry for long.
The fund is being envisaged to set up infrastructure facilities at the level-II, level-III hospitals identified in the state.
The government medical college hospital in Alappuzha has been selected as the level-II hospital while General hospital Ernakulam and district government hospital in Kannur have been chosen for the level-III category.
The trauma care project intends to make ambulance services available at the accident spot within five minutes of the mishap and reaching the critically injured to hospital in 10 minutes.
