Will medical college at Wenlock really materialise?

Will medical college at Wenlock really materialise?

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 5, 2014: For many years letters sent have received no replies, now officials at Government Wenlock Hospital here smile sarcastically. For the “first time” in history, the Health Department has asked for firm proposal to start a medical college on the hospital premises. But will issues of staff shortages, land and ageing infrastructure may end up in  the proposal fizzling out?

 

During a meeting chaired by the Principal Secretary of the Department on May 28, the hospital has been given 10 days to submit their proposal, said Rajeshwari Devi H.R., District Surgeon and Superintendent of the hospital. “We have sent proposals to start a college many a time, but this is the first time they have asked us. This is a positive step and the hospital has enough facilities to start a medical and dental college,” she said.

“The budget for the Wenlock master plan has to be worked out. This includes a trauma centre, oncology department and facilities for a super-speciality hospital,” said Dr. Rajeshwari.

Officials working on the proposal conceded that there were problems at the very out set. The 167-year-old hospital occupies 12.5 acres of land, for which there are no ’Right to Tenancy’ or title deed documents, said officials.

Another concern was the construction of staff quarters. Officials said though there were 607 employees in the hospital, the only shelter available was a “dilapidated” pre-independence-era set of houses spread over 2.5 acres of land.  The authorities are also sceptical about the issue of staff shortage – over 50 per cent of the posts for doctors (excluding doctors from Kasturba Medical College) and 70 per cent of Grade ‘D’ posts remain vacant; this will have to be addressed for the proposal to succeed and any good to come about. Nothing is impossible isn’t it?