MP Brijesh Chowta’s continuous efforts for the development of Mangalore ESI Hospital

By Rons Bantwal
Bellevision Media Network

Mumbai (RBI), Feb. 12: Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta has urged Labour Minister Santosh Lad to immediately form a ’State ESI Society’ for the improvement of the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Hospital in Mangalore.

 

The MP, who has written a letter to the minister in this regard, said, "The formation of a State ESI Society will not only facilitate rapid improvement of infrastructure in ESI hospitals, purchase of medical equipment, and proper implementation of projects, but will also help in recruiting experienced specialist doctors and skilled staff."

 

Chowta, when he met and held talks with the Director General of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Ashok Kumar Singh in Delhi recently to discuss the problems of the Mangalore ESI Hospital, said that the state government should form a separate society to facilitate all the activities related to ESIC in the state and to efficiently manage the release of funds from the center. It would be a governing body for all ESIC-related matters in the state and the distribution of funds from the center, and the Chief Secretary of the Karnataka government and the Labor Secretary would be the heads of this society, the DG had said. In this context, the MPs have urged the state government to take action regarding the formation of a "State ESI Society" at the earliest.

 

"The Ministry of Labour and Employment has already contacted the Chief Secretary and Labour Secretary of Karnataka and submitted a request for the ’formation of a State ESI Society’. The formation of this society will greatly contribute to the welfare of the working class of the district and the development of all kinds of infrastructure at the ESI hospital. Therefore, he should direct the Chief Secretary/Labour Secretary to take immediate action regarding the formation of the society and to form a State ESI Society as per the guidelines of the ministry," Cllr. Chaudhary urged in the letter.

 

In the first week of January, when MP K. Chowta made a surprise visit to the hospital, the issue of inadequate medical services for the workers and the chaos there came to light. In this hospital with a capacity of 100 beds, only 70 were usable. There are 28 doctors required for service here, but only 5 doctors are working. The working class is only getting general treatment and there is a shortage of much-needed specialist doctors and skilled staff like obstetrics, pediatrics, ortho etc., and the MP had recently met the ESIC DG in Delhi and brought this issue to his attention.