A Pune-based philanthropist has gifted two dialysis machines to the district hospital, where a dialysis centre waits to be functional.

Vivek Aranha, a senior Rotary club office-bearer and National Vice president of YMCA, gifted the costly gadgets at a function held in Kanhangad on Saturday based on an initiative by Rotary Club of Bekal Fort.

The donation was made in the presence of local MLA E. Chandrashekharan, district panchayat president P.P. Shyamala Devi, District Collector Muhammed Sagir, and senior district health officials.

Speaking at the function, Mr. Aranha offered to donate yet another machine if authorities took steps to make the dialysis centre functional in a couple of months.

According to the District Medical Officer A.P. Dinesh Kumar, the dialysis centre will start functioning only after authorities concerned took swift steps to complete the related infrastructure facilities and posted requisite number of trained staff and physicians to run the centre.

Meeting to be held

Ms. Shyamala Devi, when contacted, said the district panchayat, which was overseeing the functioning of the hospital, had decided to convene a meeting of senior Health officials in the presence of local MP and MLA on July 16 to chalk out strategies for mobilising fund to run the dialysis centre.

Mr. Chandrashekharan, on his part, has assured to draw the attention of the Health ministry for the early operation of the centre.

Ms. Shyamala Devi said the district panchayat had taken steps to avail itself of the assistance from the Karunya benevolent fund through Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL). But the initiative did not bear fruits due procedural wrangles.

The centre, for which a block has already been built on the hospital premises, might need over Rs.25 lakh more funds to operationalise it in a short span of time. The authorities are also exploring to rope in private bodies to pool the remaining funds to help the poor families get immediate benefits of the gesture.

Dialysis centre can start functioning only after related infrastructure facilities and requisite number of trained staff are ready.

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