Dattatreya lays foundation stone for ESI hospital

Visakhapatnam: Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya performed bhumi puja and laid the foundation stone for 300-bed ESI hospital at Tunglam village here on Monday. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was the chief guest at the ceremony. Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu and local Ministers were also present.

Addressing the meeting, Dattatreya narrated how the NDA government led by Nardendra Modi was focussing on health for all by launching various schemes. The Chief Minister also requested Dattatreya to increase the bed strength of the proposed hospital up to 500 as it is located in the industrial area of the district.

ESI hospital was built and opened on January 26, 1972 in the land taken on lease from Visakhapatnam Port Trust. The government proposed new building since the lease period had expired and the building also became very old. The new hi-tech hospital would have the state-of-the-art design and facilities comparable to any corporate hospital in the country, including all secondary care treatment, super specialty services in cardiology, nephrology, oncology, diagnostic facilities, accident and trauma care, operation theatres for general surgery, orthopaedic, obstetrics and gynecology, eye and ENT, immunisation and family welfare and Ayush facilities, etc.

The hospital would cover Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts having 1.91 lakh insured persons and 4.49 lakh beneficiaries.