ALAPPUZHA: The uncertainty over upgrading Alappuzha District Hospital into a general hospital and shifting it from the existing premises near the beach to the site of the Alappuzha Medical College in the town will end soon.

Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy, who held discussions with MPs, MLAs, panchayat representatives and health officials here on Saturday, said that select portions of the medical college building, which was shifted to Vandanam, would be handed over to the general hospital on June 1.

The shifting of the hospital from the beach premises would take around two months while the remaining departments of the medical college would be shifted to Vandanam at the earliest.

The proposed general hospital would have 300 beds. The district hospital had only 170 beds. Approval for this would be granted at the next Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, the existing emergency and casualty wings of the Medical College Hospital (MCH) would continue to function while the general hospital would have a separate entrance and a separate casualty wing. This would continue till the medical college was completely shifted to Vandanam, the Minister said.

Ms. Sreemathy said tenders for equipment worth Rs.99 lakh had been called for the general hospital. The tenders would be opened on June 6. The staff pattern would also be increased for proper functioning of the general hospital. The present district hospital would be converted into a women and child hospital, for which Rs.3.5 crore had been sanctioned already.

The Minister also said orders had been given to strengthen security systems at all Government hospitals in the State while the entry of visitors into all hospitals would be restricted with immediate effect.

Stating that refusals to treat patients or any kind of negligence on part of doctors would not be tolerated, the Minister said attacks on doctors would not be taken lightly.

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