Kasaragod's much-sought medical college is still resting on its foundation stone laid seven years ago, but the northern most district in Kerala has readied a speciality hospital on the same premises in lightening speed – just four days.
Only forty per cent work of the Kasargod Medical College has been completed so far, but after it emerged as the coronavirus hotspot in Kerala, authorities moved heaven and earth to set up a COVID speciality hospital in the administrative block of the proposed Medical College.
A medical college is a long-cherished dream of Kasaragod natives, who have to depend on Mangaluru in neighbouring Karnataka, which is engaged in a court battle with Kerala after shutting the border in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak. Pariyaram Medical College, the nearest such facility for Kasaragod natives in Kerala, is more than 100 kilometres away while Mangaluru is just 15 kms on the Karnataka side of the border.
As on Sunday, Kasaragod had the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the state –143.
The speciality hospital was set up in the administrative block, the only finished building on the campus, in four days following the intervention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after the district emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot.
COVID-19 patients will be admitted to the hospital from Monday evening.
The staff strength of the hospital would be 17. Doctors, a head nurse, staff nurses and nursing assistants would be deployed from other health centres in the district due to the emergency situation.
“In the first phase, we are arranging 200 beds and 10 ICU beds. Later after taking stock of the situation, 100 more beds and 10 more ICU beds will be set up,” National Health Project district manager Dr Raman Swathivaman said.
Modern equipment and facilities worth Rs 7 crore would be installed in the hospital. Wards and other facilities have been set up on the ground floor of the four-storeyed building.
Rest rooms for doctors and other officials have been set up on the first floor. Rooms for various departments had already been set up as the government had planned to start the out patient (OP) wing there. Health Minister K K Shailaja was scheduled to inaugurate the administrative wing on March 15, but the event was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
So some sort of a redemption for Kasaragod, which is still awaiting its elusive medical college.
