As the Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI), the country’s one of the oldest medical institutions, is gearing up to celebrate its centenary, a special grant has been sought from the Centre for marking the historic occasion.
In this connection, Pratap Simha, Mysuru MP, met Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya and urged him to provide financial assistance to the MMCRI for the celebrations and also for the construction of an OPD block on the premises of K.R. Hospital, the teaching hospital of MMCRI.
MMCRI is the 7th medical college in the country and the first in the State to attain the centenary feat, he said, during his meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, August 8.
The college and the hospital are housed in heritage buildings constructed nearly 100 years ago during the rule of Mysuru Maharajas. Keeping this in mind, it is of utmost importance to give both these buildings a new facelift as it has thousands of students, doctors and patients and outpatients, the MP said.
The previous BJP government had sanctioned a sum of ₹89 crore for the renovation of the heritage hospital buildings. Presently, the K.R. Hospital is catering to 2,500 OPD patients and 800 in-patients on a daily basis. “It has become highly essential to have a new OPD block. MMCRI has already prepared a DPR for the construction of the OPD block that costs around ₹80 crore. The State Medical Education Department is now submitting the DPR to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry headed by you,” he said, in a letter submitted to the Minister.
He urged the Minister to look into the matter and provide support in the form of financial assistance to the century-old hospital to expand its facilities to help serve Mysuru and the surrounding rural areas.
“We are looking forward to inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and yourself for gracing the centenary celebrations. We are hoping that the Ministry will sanction funds for the above project so that the ground breaking ceremony can be performed by the Prime Minister during the celebrations,” the MP said.
According to MMCRI, K.R. Hospital handles over 9 lakh outpatients annually – perhaps highest by a State-run hospital in the State. On an average, 5.5 lakh to 6 lakh in-patients avail treatment annually at the same hospital. Together, the MMCRI’s hospitals, including Cheluvamba and PKKTB, handle nearly 13.25 lakh patients. The patient load continues to be on the rise despite Mysuru getting the District Hospital. On some days, the daily OP numbers cross 2,500. K,R, Hospital has 1,200 beds while Cheluvamba and PKTB have 420 and 370 beds respectively.
The MMCRI proposed the OPD centenary complex at the place where the special wards exist on K,R, Hospital premises, to decongest the OP services that are spread over different buildings in the absence of space. This will bring all OPDs under one roof.
