Karunanidhi launches 'Chettinad Health City'

Chennai, Nov 15 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today launched the Rs 250 crore ''Chettinad Health City'', an integrated centre of excellence for medical education and research, promoted by Raja Sir Muthiah Chettiar Charitable Educational Trust.

The Chief Minister inaugurated the facility, located at the IT corridor in Kelampakkam, near here, in the presence of Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam and acting Consulate General, US Consulate, Fred Kaplan at an impressive function at the campus, this evening.

Spread across 100 acre of land, the Health city had a mandate to bring advanced education, healthcare research and health IT to the society, according to institution founder M A M Ramaswamy.

''The Health city is committed to upholding the highest ethics and standards in medical practice and provide the best health care system at an affordable cost to the patients, through integrated clinical practice, education and research,'' he said.

The city comprised 600-bed hospital, which had space for another 1,000 beds, three special centres for cardio vascular diseases, infertility, nephrology and renal transplant units, a medical college, nursing institute, dental college, robotic surgery unit and a tranplant zone.

It would have two more phases, which would be made ready by 2009 with an additional investment of Rs 250 crore.

The second phase of the Health city would focus on tie-ups for exchange of knowledge, medical tourism and alternative medicine, while the third phase on building software for hospital information and management and medical transcription.

In short, the city would introduce B Pharm, physical medicine, rehabilitation and super speciality services.

UNI