SIKKIM-;CM lays foundation stone of 575 bedded Multi Specialty Hospital
Rs 400 Crore Hospital to be ready by 2013

GANGTOK, February 10: Taking forward the Sikkim Government’s policies to improve health care facilities in the State, a new multi-speciality hospital will soon come up in the State to cater to the growing population.

The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling laid the foundation stone of a new 575 bedded Multi Specialty Hospital at Suchakgang Sichey located in the outskirts of the State Capital, today.

The Hospital is part of the expansion plans of the existing government-run Sir Tashi Namgyal Memorial Hospital (STNM) in Gangtok, which was built in 1917.

The new STNM hospital will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 400 Crores and the plinth area of the hospital will be approximately 6 lakhs square feet. The 575-bedded Hospital has provisions for expansion up to 900 beds and is expected to be completed by March, 2013.

The Hospital will have 18 departments which include Forensic and Oncology departments. Special Medical Services such as Emergency Medical and Disaster Management are part of the Hospital infrastructure.

“The focus of the State Government is to establish a fully functional, community owned, decentralised health delivery system with inter sectoral convergence at all levels,” State health Secretary, VP Pathak said. “We have to ensure simultaneous action on a wide range of determinants of health like water, sanitation, education, nutrition, social and gender equality within the fragmented health sector. We have to achieve outcomes on important health determinants and necessary institution infrastructure and human resources measured against Indian Public Health standard for all health facilities,” he said.

“The policy of the State Government aim at sustainable human development by ensuring equity in health care throughout the State. The present STNM Hospital premises have been stretched to its limits. Renewal of health care facilities will create a sustainable health care system in the State,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister called the occasion as “a historic one” and appealed to the personnel from the health department and doctors to make the hospital “life centric and people friendly” when it gets completed. “Real development is when the benefits reach the people in form of happiness and health, and when government machinery is used in the favour of general public,” he said adding that doctors and specialists should come forward with plans and advices to the government to make this hospital an exemplary one, not only in the North East but in the nation itself.

Mr. Chamling also hoped that the new hospital will also have the facilities like yoga and meditation centre among others.

“My priority is to make the future of the people of Sikkim safe and secure and for
this I will work tirelessly towards my goals,” the CM stressed.

Taking in consideration the overflow of the patients in the OPD department, he said the Government has plans to start evening shift of OPD from 3pm to 5pm especially for treatment of rural people who are left unattended in the morning session, he said.

At the same time, the Chief Minister raised the need for State medical professionals who have been working out of the State to come back and serve the State. He also assured the medical professionals of reviewing the cadre very shortly.

The State Health Minister DN Takarpa in his address informed of starting GNM and ANM training centres at Sabji Mandi with 50 students in each batch. He also informed of constructing 20 bedded trauma centre at present STNM complex until the new hospital gets ready. “21, 600 categorized BPLs in Sikkim will get the health insurance benefits along with other Chief Minister’s Health scheme with free distribution of
hearing aids and spectacles,” Mr. Takarpa added.