Stone laid for 100-bed ESI hospital in Vizianagaram

Vizianagaram: Union minister of state for labour and employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar said that the NDA government was according top priority to the welfare and safety of workers.

Gangwar laid the foundation stone for ESIC (Employees State Insurance Corporation) hospital here on Thursday. The 100-bed hospital will be constructed in an extent of five acre at an estimated cost of Rs 75.26 crore.

Deputy Chief Minister Pamula Pushpa Srivani attended as the chief guest. The Union minister narrated various initiatives taken by the government to provide better health care and services to the workers in the country.

The minister said that recruitment drive had been initiated to fill the post of medical staff in ESIC hospitals. The hospital will consist of G+2 levels, including residential campus and will be equipped with all modern medical facilities like OPD, wards, labs and emergency facility.

This hospital will help in catering the needs of two northern districts of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, that currently have over 3.88 lakh beneficiaries who are taking secondary care treatment at Visakhapatnam.

The project is expected to be completed in two years. After construction, it will be handed over to the state government for operation. State labour and employment minister Gummanur Jayaram said that state the government was going to set up a 500-bed hospital at Visakhapatnam soon.

Municipal administration minister Botcha Satyanarayana said the hospital would be a boon for the workers of Vizianagaram as they need not go to Vizag for better treatment. Labour and employment department principal secretary B Udaya Lakshmi, district collector M Harijawahar Lal and others attended the programme.