The long-pending demand for developing the Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) into a Super Speciality Hospital will be a reality soon, thanks to the generous allocation of funds by the government.
The government has sanctioned Rs 258 crore and the tender process for upgrading the hospital has been initiated. District-in-charge Minister H D Revanna is said to have taken a special interest in getting funds for the project.
It may be mentioned that the Indian Medical Council had increased the number of admissions to the medical college from 100 to 150 seats in 2015-16. The Council, which had opposed to the increase in seats at the medical colleges in other districts, citing lack of facilities, was satisfied with the existing facilities at HIMS.
The college has already been conducting postgraduate courses in eight subjects and if the funds are allocated there are plans of beginning eight more PG courses. The Super Speciality Hospital will be constructed at a cost of Rs 120 crore at Gandhada Koti in the city. Rs 50 crore has been sanctioned for the first phase of works.
It will be a three-story building comprising a cardiac unit of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, Department of Neuro Sciences and Surgery, Nephrology Department, Gastroenterology and Hi-tech plastic surgery unit.
450-bed facility
The HIMS already has a 350-bed facility adjoining the medical college.
The government has sanctioned Rs 99 crore to construct five storeys over the building which houses the gynaecology and paediatrics departments, and thereby upgrade the institute into a 450-bed facility.
This apart, a Rs 9.5 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of quarters for the doctors, and Rs 42 crore for a hostel for the nurses.
The works pertaining to the construction of men and women hostels have been started at a cost of Rs 24 crore. A Liquid Oxygen Plant has been established on the premises at a cost of Rs 52 lakh to ensure there is no shortage of oxygen cylinders for the patients.