Master plan for upgrading Govt. Wenlock Hospital as regional hospital will be prepared, says Dinesh Gundu Rao

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao plans to upgrade Government Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru, adding more treatment facilities.

The Department of Health and Family Welfare will send a team from Bengaluru to prepare a master plan for upgrading Government Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru as a regional hospital, said Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister in charge of Dakshina Kannada and Health and Family Welfare.

Speaking after inaugurating the Jeppu enclave, which has the new building of Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) and other facilities, in Jeppu on Saturday, the Minister said that demand for upgrading the hospital is pending for long. Capt. Brijesh Chowta, MP, recently wrote a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the same.

Mr. Rao said the department has proposed to extend to all taluks the Puneet Hrudaya Jyothi scheme of providing immediate treatment for those suffering from ST-Elevation Myocardial Infraction. Mr. Rao said he will hold a meeting with legislators on February 17 to discuss about proposals related to Dakshina Kannada that needs to be included in the State Budget for 2025-26

Without giving specific details, the Minister said more treatment facilities will be added at the new building of Urban Primary Health Centre in Jeppu.

Mr. Rao inaugurated the new building of the PHC, along with eight flats for Mangaluru City Corporation staff and a veterinary hospital in Jeppu. These new buildings in the enclave which has a bus bay and a walking path were inaugurated by Mayor Manoj Kumar, Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath and MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta on February 9.

Expressing his dismay by claiming that he has been kept dark over the inaguration done on February 9, Mr. Rao said inauguration was on the government property and works were done using government funds. As a courtesy, the District In-charge Minister should have been invited. “What has been done is petty politics and this should not be repeated henceforth. Development works should be done jointly and none have to take credit for the works,” he said.

Taking officials to task, the Minister said officials should not have allowed Mayor and others to inaugurate the works earlier. He was also angry that his name was not mentioned on the stone displayed at the entrance of the UPHC. MLC Ivan D’Souza also spoke.