Daijiword Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 24: Uncertainty prevails regarding the inauguration of the new Lady Goschen hospital building, in spite of the fact that union petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is supposed to do the honours, is visiting the district on Saturday March 24.

Earlier, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai had told media that the new five storey building would be inaugurated by mid-March, and the officials were waiting for petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan to confirm his presence at the event.

But, Pradhan’s itinerary of his visit to the district does not reflect the hospital inauguration, and the hospital administrative staff claim they are not aware about the same.

"We were not informed that Dharmendra Pradhan will be in the district, though we are desperately trying to get him as well as the state health minister K R Ramesh Kumar for the formal inauguration," says a source from the hospital.

The source further adds that unable to continue in the currently cramped up temporary hospital premise, the operations have already started in the new building even before the formal inauguration.

Due to central government’s intervention, ONGC-MRPL donated Rs 21.70 crore out of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund for the hospital building. The state government contributed Rs 10 crore under the Karnataka Health System Development and Reform Project. So it is necessary for the district administration that the union as well as the state ministers are present at the inaugural.

Hospital administration begins OPD operations on 'trial-run' in new building

Due to the repeated dilly-dallying and rescheduling of dates by the ministers, the staff was forced to silently start the operations, for the benefit of the patients.

"We hope the inauguration and shift to the new building happens before the start of rainy season. When we told our concerns to the district administration, they approved our shift to the new block," says a doctor.

Meanwhile, Dr Savitha, medical superintendent at the hospital, confirms to Daijiworld that only the OPD ward has been shifted to the new building on ‘trial-run’ basis. "We shall slowly start the shifting of other departments to the new building, probably in a week’s time. The work on the hospital’s fifth floor is nearing completion," she adds.

The Lady Goschen hospital has nearly 7,000 delivery cases a year. Patients pour in not only from the district but also other parts of Karanataka and Kerala state.

Always a subject of controversy

The Lady Goschen hospital’s new building has been subject to controversy ever since a major portion of the Lady Goschen hospital was torn down seven years ago by the then BJP government.

In the year 2011, on the assurances of an Andhra Pradesh-based entrepreneur who offered to donate Rs 18 crore for the construction of a new multi-storied building, the old building was torn down. Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had laid the foundation stone in the presence of the sponsor on April 17, 2011.

However, it is said that the project was stalled due to various political developments and the donor backed out.

With lack of funds to construct the new building and the existing facility already razed to the ground, the state had to seek the intervention of the Centre. MRPL-ONGC stepped in, and offered Rs 21 crore under its CSR initiative. The state government too pitched in Rs 10 crore. A foundation stone laying ceremony was held for the second time in 2013.

Since then, the building had been notorious for failing to meet completion deadlines, much to the distress of the patients.

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