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Amid growing demands for the expansion of the Ernakulam General Hospital (GH), Hibi Eden, MP, has announced plans to send a letter to the Health Minister and the State government, urging them to hand over the old Corporation building to the hospital. The GH, which lies cheek by jowl with the old Corporation building, separated only by a compound wall, has been facing a space crunch that hinders its expansion, sources said. A few members of the Hospital Development Committee (HDC) have also expressed interest in acquiring the premises, citing its potential to ease space constraints and improve healthcare services. They are also considering holding a meeting to draft a proposal to be submitted to the government in this regard. ‘Lack of space’ Mr. Eden, who is also a member of the Committee, had highlighted the advantages of acquiring the old Corporation building and its premises once the Corporation shifts to its new office, sparking a debate with Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar. Disagreeing with the suggestion, Mr. Anilkumar said that the civic body intended to convert the old building into a museum. “One of the major constraints to the development of the hospital is the lack of space. The GH is one of the finest hospitals we have, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The only space presently available for its expansion is the Corporation’s land. We need to consider the advantages such an expansion would bring to the hospital, benefiting patients and the public at large,” said Mr. Eden. Another HDC member Allen George said that a formal request in this regard was under consideration. “GH operates under severe space constraints. There is no scope for expansion as no adjacent land can be acquired. The rooms are congested, patients have to park their vehicles outside, and the casualty ward is always overcrowded due to limited space. If it becomes possible to acquire this land, there will be several opportunities for expansion. We can shift and enlarge the wards and repurpose the existing facilities at the hospital,” said Mr. George. A member of the HDC, who wished to remain anonymous, said that acquiring the space would significantly aid the hospital’s development. “We plan to propose convening a meeting soon to discuss the matter in detail. The committee usually meets once a month or once in two months, and I intend to raise the issue at the next meeting,” he added. Mr. Anilkumar said the issue was a closed one, as the Kochi Corporation council had already discussed it and taken a decision. It is now up to the next council to take a call on the matter, he added.
