Bangalore hi-tech maternity hospital project to get more funds

The city will have one more hi-tech maternity hospital in a couple of years.

The new building of Ghousia Hospital will be upgraded to a 250 bed hi-tech maternity hospital under National Urban Health Mission scheme.

The project, which was expected to be completed by December 2013, may be delayed until nest June.

“Initially, the project was granted Rs12 crore considering it to be a 150-bedded hospital. Now, another Rs8 crore will be funded,” Aravind Limbavali, health minister, said during an inspection tour of Ghousia Hospital on Saturday.

All hospitals that come under the health and family welfare department will have help desks named Arogya Raksha Samithi soon. This is to reduce corruption in hospitals, he said.

While KC General Hospital and Jayanagar General Hospital have their help desks already in place, more hospitals are going to get this facility.

Moreover, these help desks will be connected to 104 helpline so people can call and voice their grievances, the minister said.

He announced the ‘Happy drop scheme’ under which women, after delivery, will be dropped at home along with childcare kit. As many as 154 vehicles will be pressed into service for this.

Principal secretary Madan Gopal said Hubli would be made an operation centre of 104 Public Grievance Lodging and Monitoring System helpline where citizens can lodge their grievances related to the health department.