• Two hospitals dedicated to Mysuru on a single day to combat Coronavirus  
• Princess Krishnajammanni Super-Speciality Hospital opens on KRS Road

Mysore/Mysuru: At a time when distressing visuals and news articles about the plight of COVID-19 patients in the absence of oxygenated beds and ICU infrastructure in many Indian cities have been shaking our conscience since the outbreak of the deadlier second wave, Mysuru city has been adding more and more healthcare facilities and reserve them for Coronavirus treatment. 

While yesterday morning (May 6) saw the inauguration of 72-year-old maternity hospital — Seth Mohandas Tulsidas Hospital on JLB Road — that has been dedicated to treat critical COVID patients, pregnant women and children, afternoon saw the inauguration of Princess Krishnajammanni Super-Speciality Hospital on KRS Road. 

The 270-bed facility (when fully enhanced) is behind the Trauma Centre and is dedicated to Princess Krishnajammanni of erstwhile Mysore royal family. Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar inaugurated the Hospital that will be converted to a temporary COVID Hospital.  The development assumes significance in the wake of surge in virus infection cases in Mysuru. 

The Hospital has been built under the funds sanctioned by Department of Health and Family Welfare at an estimated cost of Rs. 123.77 crore (contract amount of Rs. 134.53 crore) and has been built by Pune-based B.G. Shirke Construction Technology. The total expenditure incurred till now is Rs. 114.54 crore. While the agreement to build the facility was signed on 16.08.2018, the Hospital construction was completed on 31.12.2020. 

The Hospital was waiting for Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to be inaugurated in January and the inauguration ceremony was delayed. Now with the spike in cases, the District Administration has decided to throw open the facility. 

The total built-up area of the Hospital is 22,692 square metres (Sq.Mts.) and has three floors excluding the lower ground floor and upper ground floor. While the lower ground floor — 4,750Sq.Mts. — can house 20 beds, the upper ground floor — 4,247 Sq.Mts. can have 42 beds. The first floor — 4,542Sq.Mts. — can accommodate 63 beds, the second floor — 4,310Sq.Mts.— can house 63 beds. The third floor — 4458 Sq.Mts. — can accommodate 32 beds and these are all ICU beds and the floor has five operation theatres. 

Other features of the modern hospital include water supply, internal and external electrification, fire fighting, modular operation theatres, medical gas piping system, chiller plant, building management system, heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology, 20 passenger/hospital lifts, CCTV, telephone, networking, public address system, nurse call system, generator sets, transformer and an in-house sewage treatment plant that has a capacity to treat 300 kilo litres per day. 

Now, as the priority is to combat COVID, all the beds, ICUs and wards at this Hospital can be used only for this purpose. 

The District Administration has taken immediate steps to procure 40 oxygenated beds and the beds will be available after four to five days. 

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, MLAs L. Nagendra, G.T. Devegowda, MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, Corporator S.B.M. Manju, Mysuru DC Rohini Sindhuri, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) Dean Dr. C.P. Nanjaraj and others were present during                                                    the inauguration.

Role of Siddharamaiah, Vasu remembered

The Trauma Centre was inaugurated in 2018 in the same campus as Princess Krishnajammanni Super-Speciality Hospital that is dedicated to Princess Krishnajammanni of erstwhile Mysore royal family. 

The foundation stone for Princess Krishnajammanni Super-Speciality Hospital was laid during the tenure of former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah and it was due to the efforts of the then Chamaraja MLA Vasu that the Hospital became a reality today. 

After the inauguration, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha remembered the contribution of Siddharamaiah and Vasu. “It is due to their vision, special efforts and foresightedness that this Hospital became a reality in Chamaraja Constituency today. On behalf of Mysureans, I thank both of them,” he said in a statement.