The Kerala state government has announced a plan to modernise 2,609 government institutions as model institutions, including 134 health care facilities in the state.

Planned under the ongoing Modernizing Government Programme (MGP) of the state to improve efficiency and effectiveness of administration, the model hospitals are planned to offer futuristic standards in healthcare delivery, infrastructure and services. As Pharmabiz reported earlier, the government would upgrade and modernize these model hospitals at an investment of over Rs 20 crore.

According to sources, four district hospitals, 14 taluk hospitals, 99 Public Health Centres and 17 community health centers in the state will be upgraded as model centres. This includes district and taluk hospitals in places like Kozhikkode, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Idukki, Malappuram, Varkkala, Nenmara, North Paravur, Peerumedu, Thodupuzha, Nilambur, Koilandi, Perambra, Sultanbatheri, Thiruvalla etc.

As per the plans, these hospitals will drastically improve their services to patients and will display all the requisite facilities that have to be offered to patients at the hospital. The people will review performance of the model hospitals periodically, through the existing mechanisms of community participation in administration like Grama Sabhas.

The Steering Committee of Government Secretaries of the state administration to plan and implement MGP had drafted a detailed report on the model hospitals, and it was pending with the cabinet for approval. The modernization process was envisaged to be completed before March 31, 2005, said sources.