GANGTOK, Feb 16 � Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling laid the foundation stone of a new 575-bedded multi specialty STNM Hospital at Suchakgang (Sichey) in the city outskirts here recently.
The Hospital will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crores with a plinth area of 6 lakh square feet, housing 18 departments and will be completed by March 2013.
The Chief Minister described the occasion as a historic one and appealed to the personnel from the Health department and doctors to make the hospital people friendly.
The Chief Minister said, taking into consideration the growing number of patients in the OPD the government is thinking of starting evening OPD from 3 pm to 5pm especially for the people coming from rural areas.
He also appealed to the medical professionals working outside the State to come back. �We want our medical specialists to come back and serve the people of Sikkim�.
The Chief Minister also spoke of the remarkable milestones achieved by Sikkim in the health. �The parameter of State�s development is not calculated by its economic and infrastructure development but by its health standards�, he said.
�The effort of the State Government is to ensure that no one is deprived of quality health care on equitable basis at affordable costs�, Chamling added. Expressing concern over the high mortality rate and malnutrition in the State, Chamling said there is a need to give serious thoughts on the issue.
The Health Minister DN Thakarpa said that the government will soon start GNM and ANM training centers at Sabji Mandi with fifty students in each batch.
He also informed of constructing 20-bedded trauma centre at present STNM complex.
Over 21,600 people categorised as BPLs in Sikkim will get health insurance coverage along with other benefits from CM�s Health scheme which provides hearing aid and spectacles, the Minister informed.