Rs 150-crore super speciality centre for Rajindra hospital

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 26

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has floated tenders for the construction of Rs 150-crore super speciality centre on the Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, premises.

The ministry, in January, 2013, had proposed to upgrade the hospital under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana in the 12th Plan period, subsequently then Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had laid the foundation stone for the super speciality centre on February 23, 2014.

The Government of India, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, had decided to upgrade the medical college at an approved cost of Rs 150 crore, with Rs 120 crore Central contribution and state share of Rs 30 crore.

A total of 14 super speciality departments — cardiology, cardio-therapy and vascular surgery, neurology, neuro-surgery, neonatology, gastroenterology, paediatric surgery, endocrinology, medical and surgical gastroenterology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology and nephrology — will be established on the hospital premises.

The college authorities have already identified about 2 acre land for the purpose.

Principal, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Dr KD Singh said the work on the centre would begin in March 2016 and the project was likely to be completed in 18 months.

Dr Singh also said out of Rs 150 crore, Rs 90 crore would be spent on civil works while the remaining Rs 60 crore would be spent on purchase of latest equipment.