Rs 30-crore pending funds from state delay completion of super-speciality hospital in Vijayawada
VIJAYAWADA: Delay in the release of Rs 30 crore funds by the State government has held up completion of the Vijayawada government super-speciality hospital. Though the hospital was slated to be completed by March 2018, it is still in the construction phase.
Commenced in June 2016, the deadline for completing the project was first extended to August from March 2018 and then to December the same year. Officials attributed the delay to non-sanction of Rs 30 crore funds by the State government. Planned under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, the Centre sanctioned Rs 120 crore and the State government was supposed to sanction Rs 30 crore on its share for completion of the 290-bed hospital.
Officials say the project is in its last phase and can be completed within two months, provided that the State government releases its share of funds.
Speaking to TNIE, Medical Education Director Dr K Babji said, “Almost 95 per cent of the work is completed, only the equipment has to be installed. If the State government releases the amount, the equipment will be installed and the building will be handed over to the department. In the next two months, the hospital can start its services.”
Though Vijayawada is part of the capital region, critical surgeries such as paediatric and cardiac surgeries are not performed at the government general hospital in the city, forcing patients to make a beeline either to Guntur GGH or to the private hospitals in the city. In this backdrop, the super-speciality hospital was proposed.
Once completed, the hospital will have cardiology, neurosurgery, neurology, gastroenterology, cardiothoracic, paediatric, urology, nephrology, critical care and emergency wings with 20 beds each, and AXC, XCE, RSU sections with 50 beds each.