Ahead of its centenary celebrations that fall in 2024, the Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI) has embarked on a project of bringing all outpatient department (OPD) services under one roof by establishing a new facility for decongesting K.R. Hospital which is currently handling 2,000 outpatients daily. The current outpatient numbers have reached the pre-COVID-19 figures with all curbs over the pandemic lifted for the screening of patients.
Presently, the patients have to move from one end to another end on the hospital campus for availing themselves of the outpatient services. This is getting the main hospital premises crowded. If all OPD services are brought together in one place along with the diagnostic labs, it could largely decongest the main hospital campus that accommodates over 1,000 inpatients besides benefitting patients and their attendants.
Keeping this in mind, the MMCRI has proposed to construct a Centenary OPD Complex and a proposal in this regard has been sent to the government, which recently allocated a sum of ₹89 crore for the restoration of heritage buildings that are housing the MMCRI’s teaching hospitals including K.R. Hospital, Cheluvamba Hospital and PKTB Hospital on KRS Road.
MMCRI Dean and Director H.N. Dinesh told The Hindu that the immediate plan is to restore the hospital buildings as per the heritage norms and ₹89 crore in this regard had been released by the government. “However, we have urged the government to consider releasing another ₹50 crore for constructing the centenary OPD complex which will be of great help for the hospitals and the patients,” he added.
Dr. Dinesh expressed confidence in getting the government nod for the “all-in-one” OPD facility that is usually seen in corporate hospitals. If at least the work on the OPD complex is given a start ahead of the celebrations, it would be ready before the end of the celebrations as former students of MMCRI from various parts of the country and abroad are coming to witness the historic moment, he explained.
The OPD complex can be constructed demolishing the special wards’ wing in the K.R. Hospital complex since these wards are not heritage in nature and were constructed in the recent decades when there was a need for more beds.
Regional Skill Lab
Dr. Dinesh said the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences has come forward to establish a regional skill lab for the benefit of MMCRI. A couple of places for setting up the lab has been identified and the State’s nod will be sought soon before allowing the RGUHS to take up the project which will not only benefit medical students but also paramedical and nursing students.
Renovation in two years
Referring to the renovation of K.R. Hospital, Cheluvamba Hospital and PKTB Hospital, Dr. Dinesh said, “The government had asked us to complete the renovation in three years but we have requested it for completing it in two years with early sanction of funds since the centenary fete commences in 2024 and we wanted to complete the restoration before the celebrations take off.”
The allocation was long-awaited as the hospital structures were in need of conservation.
Dr. Dinesh said the project report for upgrading the PKTB into a facility for pulmonary medicine has been prepared and a proposal on developing the existing campus into a centre on the lines of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in Bengaluru has been submitted to the State Government.
