Mangaluru ; A proposal is being sent to the State government to construct a Government Wenlock Medical College at Kudupu on the outskirts of city.

During a review meeting on the development works at Government Wenlock Hospital here on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said the hospital could be retained as a general hospital and the medical college could be constructed on the land that had been granted to the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT).

The NMPT could be given government land available in Bengre, he said.

District in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai, who chaired the meeting, said he would place the proposal at a meeting of officials from the Health Department in Bengaluru. Medical Superintendent of Wenlock Hospital H.S. Rajeshwaridevi said the leakage from roofs at the hospital would have to be urgently addressed.

She said patients were suffering because of the poor condition of toilets and underground drainage system and the lack of proper drinking water facilities.

Dr. Rajeshwaridevi said a Rs. 3-crore plan had been prepared by the Karnataka Health System Development and Reform Project (KHSDRP) agency to carry out the work. Of this, Rs. 1 crore would be spent from the hospital’s Raksha Samiti, while the remaining would have to be given by the government.

Dr. Rajeshwaridevi said the KHSDRP agency had prepared an estimate of Rs. 15.8 crore for construction of a three-storeyed new block. The hospital had paid Rs. 5 crore for the work and was awaiting sanction for the remaining amount from the government.

Mr. Rai directed KHSDRP officials to start urgent repair works at the hospital.

The Minister said he would make efforts to get grants from the State government for the repair work and construction of the new block. J.R. Lobo, Mangaluru South MLA; Mohiuddin Bava, Mangaluru North MLA; P.I. Sreevidya, Chief Executive Officer of Mangaluru Zilla Panchayat; and Kumara, Additional Deputy Commissioner, were present.