Srinagar, May 31: Following massive public outrage over the tragic death of around 385 infants at the dreaded GB Pant Hospital here in the past five months, the state government Thursday gave its assent for construction of a new 250-bed children hospital at Bemina on the outskirts of Srinagar. A 200-bed maternity hospital would also come up in the same area.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah approved the proposal of the department of health and medical education and gave two weeks’ time for finalizing building construction plan along with Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the two hospitals to be built over an area of 3.5 hectares.
The government had earlier proposed to construct the new pediatric hospital in the Karan Nagar area of the city. The move had drawn flak from the civil society given the massive traffic congestion prevalent in Karan Nagar area. The stake-holders had demanded constructing the new children’s hospital in some accessible and less congested area like Bemina.
Chairing a high level meeting to finalize the site for the proposed children and maternity hospitals in Srinagar, Omar said establishment of the two institutions in close proximity with common diagnostic facilities would be a right step to ensure better and up to the mark health care system.
Omar asked for involving reputed and experienced architects in hospital construction, and said the two hospitals should be constructed on modern lines.
The chief minister also approved 80-bed children wards in the existing Lal Ded Hospital saying the construction of children block should be factored in the overall expansion programme of the only maternity hospital in the Valley where 100 beds are likely to be added.
The meeting was told that while Government of India has approved Rs 50 crores for the new 200-bedded Maternity Hospital for Srinagar, the State Government has to fund establishment of new 250-bedded Children Hospital from its own resources.
The Chief Minister said that in his upcoming meeting with the Union Health Minister, he will discuss the issue of Central financial support for new Children’s Hospital with him.
Omar said the pressure on secondary and tertiary care hospitals would decrease only when rural healthcare centers are upgraded and modernized as per the requirements. He said government is concentrating on this issue positively. He said placement of doctors, paramedical staff alongwith necessary equipment for rural hospitals is receiving priority attention.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 31 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 31 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 1 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST