Model hospitals to be set up in 140 constitutencies

Thiruvananthapuram, June 22 (UNI) Kerala Health Minister P K Sreemathy today announced that the government would set up model hospitals in all the 140 constituencies in the state in a phased manner.

The aim of converting the existing Community Health Centres (CHC), where facilities of Medical College and District hospitals not available, as model hospitals was to provide basic facilities like X-ray, laboratary and operation theatre, she told the Assembly while replying to questions by Mr Thomas Chandy (DIC-K) and others.

The scheme would be implemented with funds available through the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). In the first phase, 42 CHCs in 42 constituences would be made model hospitals and Rs 20 lakh each would be released for the purpose, she said.

Ms Sreemathy said there were 113 CHCs in the state. In the remaining CHCs the convertion would be made on priority basis and based on the availablity of funds from the NRHM.

To meet the shortage of doctors in coastal and hilly areas, the government had issued necessary direction to the civic bodies to engage doctors on contract basis, she said.

Stating that the government had no control over private hospitals, the Health Minister said it would look into allegations about exploitation of people by such institutions and appropriate action would be taken against them.

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