Mysuru: The delay upgrading the existing ESI
hospital to a 100-bed facility in the city continues to leave many underprivileged patients in a disadvantageous position. However, with the authoritieis confident of the upgrading work being completed soon, the patients can heave a sigh of relief.
Although the number of registered beneficiaries for the
ESI Hospital in Mysuru is 1.3 lakh, nearly five lakh patients avail of the facilities. Patients from Chamarajanagar, Hassan, Mandya, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru too receive treatment at the facility. The planned 100-bed ESI hospital will have, among other facilities, three operation theatres, testing equipment, etc, sparing patients the need to visit private hospitals.
Presently, the ESI hospital in Mysuru refers at least 30 patients to super specialty hospitals in the city for a variety of cases. While Rs 35 crore has been allotted for upgrading the hospital, the project has been delayed by more than eight years. On a daily basis, around 15 patients, who are insured with ESI, undergo dialysis at the centre, besides many beneficiaries getting free injections worth Rs 17,000 for chronic arthritic problems.
Director of ESI, Bengaluru Dr Kumar told TOI that he had held a meeting with the superintendent of ESI Hospital, Mysuru about the pending work at the facility. “Work on operation theatres, ramps is pending, and it will be completed in a month-and-a-half, and the upgraded facility will be inaugurated later. Central government agencies that have undertaken construction relating to upgrading the facility have assured us of completing all work in this period. Once the upgraded hospital becomes a reality, referrals to private hospitals will come down. We have also given permission to procure new instruments for the hospital,” he said.
