‘100-bed GGH will be ready soon’

Minister for Water Resources Development Nimmala Ramanaidu has announced that the 100-bed Government General Hospital in Palakollu will be made available to the public soon.
The Minister on Sunday visited the GGH in Palakollu and interacted with the patients. He inspected the hospital premises and went around the GGH. He directed the hospital superintendent to plant saplings around the hospital and keep the vicinity pleasant.  
Later, talking to the media, Minister Ramanaidu said that he had directed the officials concerned to complete the 100-bed GGH expeditiously. He also ordered them to provide four wards to provide medical services in the new government hospital.
The Minister recalled that in 1998, the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu upgraded the 30-bed Palakollu GGH to a 50-bed hospital. Moreover, the then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced the upgradation of the 50-bed Palakollu GGH as a 100-bed hospital in 2019. The then government had sanctioned Rs 12.60 crore funds of NABARD for the upgradation of the GGH. Unfortunately, the erstwhile YSRCP regime neglected the development of Palakollu GGH.
“The upgrading process of Palakollu GGH as a 100-bed hospital would have been completed in one year if the then YSRCP regime had focused on it. But their laxity led to no development of the GGH,” he lamented.
Minister Ramanaidu also recalled that he used to meet the then Principal Secretary of the medical and health department Punam Malakondaiah often to seek funds to upgrade the Palakollu GGH as a 100-bed hospital but his attempts had gone in vain.
“I have explained the pending Palakollu GGH upgrade issue to the notice of current Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and he responded favourably and released the required funds,” Ramanaidu observed.
He stated that he was reviewing the GGH development works with the officials and efforts are being made to make the GGH available to provide medical services to the people. He highlighted that he is trying to set up a dialysis ward in the Palakollu GGH for the sack of patients in surrounding areas.  He promised to inaugurate the 100 Palakollu GGH soon.  
At the same time, the Minister instructed the officials to ensure that quality is maintained in the constructions and pleasant atmosphere should prevail in the GGH premises with greenery.  
AP Medical Corporation EE BV Giri, DEM Srinivasa Reddy, GGH Superintendent Dr.O Ravikumar and a host of doctors and leaders of TDP, JSP and BJP were among those who were present.