Mangaluru: Health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that very soon Wenlock District Hospital will be declared a regional multispecialty hospital.He was speaking after laying the foundation for the new OPD block to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore at Wenlock District Hospital, and various other development projects on Friday.Rao said the Wenlock hospital will receive investment worth Rs 96 crore to develop necessary infrastructure through the KMC. “Negotiations are under way regarding the MoU between the government and the KMC. Accordingly, a new agreement is being signed wherein the KMC will come forward to provide more infrastructure, staff or necessary constructions for the hospital,” he said.The health department has also signed MoU with medical colleges in the district to provide better services to poor patients in govt hospitals, he said, and expressed concern over like-minded organisations opposing the agreements with private medical colleges.“Through the agreements with private medical colleges, poor patients will get advanced service for free. We have made agreements with private medical colleges to provide enhanced medical care in community health centres. Those who oppose and fight against this move on the streets may talk to us and get all their doubts cleared,” he said. Even the taluk hospital in Bantwal has successfully conducted two free knee replacement surgeries with the support of a private medical college. Earlier, such surgeries were referred to private hospitals. Govt hospitals were instructed not to refer such surgeries to private hospitals, he said, adding that currently 90% of the knee or hip replacement surgeries are done in govt hospitals itself.The minister said the health department will open four more care centres for endosulfan victims in Dakshina Kannada. Currently, the district has two centres in the district. New centres will be opened in Panaje village in Puttur taluk, Kaniyoor in Belthangady, Vitla in Bantwal, and Bellare in Sullia. The government has reserved Rs 1.3 crore to maintain the new centres, which will officially be made functional from June 1.Assembly speaker UT Khader, MLC Ivan D’Souza, district hospital superintendent Dr DS Shivaprakash and DHO Dr HR Thimmaiah were present.
