Maharashtra Minister of Medical Education Amit Deshmukh on Saturday gave directives to the St George’s and Gokuldas Tejpal hospitals in Mumbai to submit separate proposals to start government medical college as well as a nursing college. Deshmukh’s directives came at a time when the state government has decided to strengthen the health infrastructure to combat COVID 19 pandemic and also for non COVID 19 diseases. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has already announced the allocation of Rs 3,000 crore to strengthen and upgrade the health care and medical facilities and its optimum usage.
Deshmukh, who visited the St George’s hospital and reviewed the treatment given to COVID patients there. He also asked the hospital management to set up an oxygen generation plant to meet the demand from the COVID 19 patients, increase bed capacity and recruit vacant posts in the hospital.
Deshmukh also asked the hospital management to soon start the anti COVID 19 vaccination centre.
St. George's Hospital is currently being converted into COVID 19 Hospital which is reserved for a critical care unit for treatment. However, the minister said that care should be taken to ensure that the recovery rate of patients in this hospital is not less than the national average.
Meanwhile, Deshmukh has given directive to immediately start a 250 bed hospital in the Akola Government Medical College in addition to the already operational 450 bed hospital in view of rising number of COVID 19 patients.
