Kerala Virology Institute to be upgraded

New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) The Alapuzha-based Kerala State Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases would be upgraded as part of the National Institute of Virology.

Kerala Health Minister K Sreemathy, who held discussions in this regard with Central Ministries, told mediapersons that it would be a collaboration project with the state providing land and the Centre extending necessary infrastructure.

She said the state government had already allotted 8.12 acres of land at Alapuzha .The investment of the Centre would be to the tune of RS 10 crore for upgradation.

Ms Sreemathy said the Institute of Maternity and Child Health, Kozhikode, would be upgraded as "Training Centre for Excellence". A sum of Rs 50 crore had been sanctioned.

She said all the 14 districts of Kerala would soon have fully functional Women and Children Hospital under the "Kerala Health Minister's Initiative." In this context, she pointed out that the existing five Women and Children hospital would be upgraded and renovated.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Planning had sanctioned Rs 34 crore for the upgradation of existing Women and Children hospitals and also to set up new ones.

UNI