KOCHI: Ernakulam has got a fillip on the health front with a number of projects launched on the occasion of the second anniversary of the LDF Government with the Chief Minister and Health Minister gracing various functions on Sunday. Apart from laying the foundation for the CCRC which will take care of 400 in-patients and 800 outpatients in the first phase, the tender works on the Rs 285 crore super specialty block of the Ernakulam Government Medical College also began in the day. Health Minister K K Shylaja said that the construction works on the block will start soon. The master plan has been prepared for Rs 310 crore. The block will have an area of 8 lakh sq ft.
The modern CT scan machine donated to the Medical College by John Fernandez MLA using Rs 5 crore from his asset development fund was inaugurated by Shylaja on Sunday. The health department also chipped in Rs 31.6 lakh for setting it up. The Health Minister also said on the occasion that steps are being taken to materialize the new government medical colleges at Idukki, Wayanad and Parippalli, She also said that the regularization of the staff at EMC is being undertaken in phases and the issue of other staff also will be sorted out without heartburns for anybody. She said that EMC was top on the agenda of the government.
Health Minister also launched the stroke treatment facility at the Ernakulam General Hospital in the day. GH is among five hospitals selected for the test run of the project. She said at the function that trauma care units will be set up across the state. The eight-storey super specialty block construction is fast progressing at the General Hospital. A cancer block is also being added while a linear accelerator which is the most modern facility in cancer treatment too has been added to the GH at a cost of Rs 10.7 crore.
Aluva district hospital is also getting a facelift with a host of facilities being added to it. Minister Shylaja inaugurated the new CT scan facility at the hospital on Sunday. Recently Innocent MP had donated a mammogram unit at the hospital Minister Shylaja said that all assistance will be given to make it a superspecialty hospital. She asked the hospital superintendent to submit a project report for setting up an new operation theater and other proects.
