KOLLAM: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said all steps would be taken to fill existing vacancies at the district hospital and the Government Victoria Hospital for Women.

He was addressing a gathering here on Saturday after laying the foundation stone for a seven-storeyed block attached to the district hospital.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the Government would take steps to appoint the required personnel for the new facilities to be added to the hospital.

In her presidential address earlier at the function, district panchayat president K. Devaki said though many new facilities had been introduced at the district hospital over the past two years, these were lying idle for the want of staff. She requested the Chief Minister to take steps to upgrade the district hospital to general hospital.

UDF flayed

The Chief Minister said freezing of appointments by the previous United Democratic Front Government in the name of financial crisis was the prime reason for the facilities lying idle at the district hospital.

He said several others sectors had suffered on account of the freeze on appointments.

After coming to power, the Left Democratic Front Government took steps to rectify the situation by making appointments wherever needed.

Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan laid the foundation stone for a three-storeyed paediatric block attached to the Victoria Hospital.

Agriculture Minister Mullakara Ratnakaran inaugurated the cardiology intensive care unit of the district hospital.

District Medical Officer Elizabeth John Zacharia read the report. Mayor N. Padmalochanan; CPI(M) district secretary K. Rajagopal; DCC president Sooranad Rajashekaran; CPI(M) district president K. Prakash Babu; and RSP district president A.A. Azeez, MLA, among others addressed.

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