Kota’s children hospital to get 156 more beds
KOTA: The state government will construct an extension at Kota’s JK Lon Hospital for 156 new beds, including 66 of intensive care, urban development and housing minister Shanti Dhariwal said.
The hospital was in news recently after more than 100 infants died since December. This amplified into a political row with the Congress blaming BJP for highlighting the deaths for political gains, and the BJP slamming the government for lack of facilities in the hospital.
The state government will spend Rs 27 crore for 156-bed extension and new out-patient department (OPD) wings at the hospital, and Rs 40 crore for expansion of Maharao Bhim Singh Hospital of Kota.
Dhariwal addressed a press conference in Kota on Monday to make these announcements.
The new wing will have 90 beds in the general ward, 36 in the NICU and 30 in the PICU, the minister said on Monday.
He said that Rs 18 crore will be spent on the extension of JK Lon Hospital which will have built up area of 93,750 square feet. It will have basement and ground floor and three floors above it. It will be built in the same campus which houses government MBS Hospital Kota and JK Lon Hospital.
A new OPD will also be established at existing building of JK Lon Hospital in Rs 9 crore which will be spread in 40,000 square feet and will have basement, parking and ground floor plus three floors.
The Government MBS Hospital will also witness expansion. A new OPD block will be constructed on the same campus which will have basement, parking, ground floor and 3 floors. It will be spread in 250,000 square feet. “I have decided to sanction Rs 1 crore from my MLA LAD fund for development of JK Lon Hospital,” Dhariwal said. Kota Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) will construct the new wings.
He said CM has assured budgetary provisions for medical equipment for which finance department has given sanction. Collector and secretary of local self bodies have been given responsibility for development.
Dhariwal accused the BJP of doing politics on infant deaths in Kota and cited it a conspiracy since the infant deaths declined from former BJP lead state government’s tenure.
Earlier, Kota Municipal Corporation improved cleanliness of the hospital. Hospital administration covered windows without panes with polycarbonate sheets and put curtains to check chilly winds. The hospital laid a central oxygen line and carried out r e pai r s of dysf uncti o nal equipment.