People are up in arms against the delay in opening the Mother and Child Hospital in Kanhangad, which was inaugurated more than a year ago.
The hospital was inaugurated by then Health Minister K.K. Shailaja in February, 2021. The government had sanctioned ₹9.4 crore for the 150-bed hospital. Though most of the work has been completed, there is an inordinate delay in opening the hospital.
Youth Congress district president B.P. Pradeep said that they have decided to go on an indefinite strike condemning the delay.
He said no steps have been taken to open the hospital for the public. This despite the officials of the Public Works Department and the Kerala State Electricity Board claiming to have completed all the work, he added.
“We strongly believe that the delay is to help private hospitals and the cooperative hospital, which was recently started by the members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kanhangad,” he alleged.
Mr. Pradeep said that in the absence of good hospitals, patients are dependent on the neighbouring districts and Mangaluru for getting medical treatment. The Mother and Child Hospital, which will have all the facilities, would be a huge relief for the people in the district, he added.
K.K. Ashokan, secretary of Confederation of Endosulfan Rights Collective, said that the district have several endosulfan victims, many of them women and children. Their families face a lot of problems in getting proper treatment. They have no dedicated hospitals either, he said.
“Though the Tata COVID hospital is remaining idle, no steps have been taken to provide it for the treatment of endosulfan victims. In such a situation, the Health Minister and the government should immediately intervene to open the Mother and Child Hospital for the benefit of people and endosulfan victims,” he said.
However, officials in the Health department said that doctors and medical staff should be appointed first for the hospital to function.
“So far, no decision has been taken to create a post and fill vacancies. A proposal in this regard had been sent to the government a year ago,” said a senior official on conditions of anonymity.
When contacted, District Medical Officer A.V. Ramdas said the delay is due to the incompletion of a few works including that of operation theatres, lifts and offices. Besides, there is a requirement of about 80 staff. A proposal has been given to the government in this regard, he added.
