Kollegala subdivision hospital to be upgraded as dist hospital

Mysuru: Chamarajanagar district administration has made preparations to upgrade Kollegala subdivision hospital to a district hospital.

As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sanctioned it as a district hospital at a special cabinet meeting held atop MM Hills on April 24, it will have features like super speciality treatment, including trauma care and three operation theatres. It will be upgraded from 150 beds to a 250-bed hospital.

Even though Chamarajanagar district has its old 350-bed district hospital on B Rachaiah Road in the district headquarters, the govt has sanctioned another district hospital by upgrading the existing Kollegal subdivision hospital considering the demand from the public and legislators. Currently, the old District Hospital on B Rachaiah Road is merged with Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS).

The old district hospital is now functioning as a secondary referral healthcare facility, and is also supporting CIMS and coordinating primary healthcare of peripheral hospitals in the district headquarters.

The upgraded Kollegala Sub-Division Hospital will cater to the people of border areas of Hanur, Kollegala and Yelandur taluks that share an interstate border with Tamil Nadu, along with devotees of the MM Hills temple of Hanur taluk.

The new district hospital of Kollegala will have multi-speciality services like general medicine, surgery and orthopaedics, similar to those at the Old District Hospital in Chamarajanagar. It will also have an ICU, special wards, semi-special wards, VIP wards, a dedicated dialysis unit, four to six labs, and ramp and wheelchair facilities for disabled and elderly citizens. It also has other facilities like a blood collection unit, outpatient ward, labour wards and physiotherapy section.

"Hanur and several other taluks of border areas in the district is covered with 50 percent of forest. During medical emergencies, tribals and people living in the jungles of MM Hills wildlife sanctuary, including pregnant women, elderly citizens, and children, were struggling to avail emergency medical services," said Madegowda, vice president of the Chamarajanagar District Soliga Tribal Welfare Association.

People living in the border areas are either moving to Tamil Nadu, Chamarajanagar, or Mysuru, which is far away from their villages and hamlets, to avail emergency medical services, he said.

Now, the upgraded Kollegala subdivision hospital appears as a boon to the people of the region due to its accessibility," Madegowda said.

Speaking to TOI, Chamarajanagar district health officer Dr S Chidambar said as govt has given administrative approval for the new district hospital at Kollegala. Once the govt gives financial approval, the Kollegala sub-divisional hospital will be upgraded as a district hospital.