Mangaluru, (The Hindu): Government Lady Goschen Hospital in the city has begun offering outpatient services from the new block.

After taking permission from Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S., who is also the Election Officer, the hospital authorities have now moved the outpatient department from the old block to the ground floor in the new block. The scanning centre, laboratory, help desk, special treatment unit for women and the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre have also been shifted to the same floor.

Savitha, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said that the remaining floors in the new “ONGC-MRPL Anniversary Block” will be occupied on completing the pending works in each floor.

The antenatal ward will be housed on the first floor. The second floor will have labour rooms and the neonatal care unit will be on the third floor. The operation theatre and the intensive care unit will be shifted to the fourth floor, while the post-operative and post-natal wards will be on the fifth floor.

It was in 2011 that a portion of the old block of this government maternity hospital was brought down for construction of the new block. After a donor from Andhra Pradesh, who had promised to fund the new block, withdrew ONGC-MRPL came forward to contribute 21 crore for the new block.

The State government sanctioned an additional fund of 10 crore to the Health Department’s Engineering wing for completing the pending works.

Its inauguration has been delayed owing to various reasons. With model code of conduct in force now the inauguration would be done only after the Assembly elections, Mr. Senthil said.