Kollam district hospital development will be fast-tracked, says Minister Bindhu Krishna

The initial phase of the Kollam District Hospital development project will be expedited, Minister for Labour and Women and Child Development Bindhu Krishn has said during a review meeting after visiting the hospital to evaluate its current facilities.

She added that the shortage of staff will be addressed and immediate steps will be taken to fill various vacancies across departments. “Ongoing construction works funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, the emergency care unit, and the specialised burns treatment centre will be completed in a time-bound manner,” she said on Thursday (July 2, 2026). Additionally, ICU ambulance facility will be introduced, while the expansion of the oxygen plant and the settlement of pending insurance dues are currently under consideration.

Encroachment

A special meeting will also be convened soon to discuss further construction activities as soon as the soil test results are available. Ms. Krishna added that the authorities will look into local encroachments and the activities of street vendors in the hospital vicinity to take necessary action.

As part of the major hospital expansion, three building complexes are set to be constructed. This includes a nine-storey ward tower, a seven-storey diagnostic block, and a two-storey utility block. The ward tower will accommodate patient rooms, general wards, various departments—including dermatology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, and dental alongside a limb centre, ortho OPD, and a pharmacy.

The diagnostic block will house the inpatient cancer treatment facility, radiotherapy, a blood bank, laboratories, and radiology. The utility block will be dedicated to the psychiatry department, the medical records library, a mortuary, and a power substation.