Karnataka Health Minister Unveils Advance Cardiac Cath Lab at Wenlock Hospital

The new cath lab, located on the surgical block’s ground floor, is equipped for angioplasty and angiogram procedures.

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has inaugurated a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization (cath) lab and a 24-bed dialysis unit at Government Wenlock District Hospital.

The inauguration coincided with the 175th anniversary celebrations of Wenlock Hospital and Government Lady Goschen Hospital.

The new cath lab, located on the surgical block’s ground floor, is equipped for angioplasty and angiogram procedures.

Built at a cost of ₹5 crore with support from Kasturba Medical College (KMC), the lab provides free treatment to Below Poverty Line (BPL) patients, with the government covering medicines and other related expenses.

Specialist doctors and trained medical teams from KMC will manage the facility, ensuring high-quality cardiac care for the region.

The 24-bed dialysis unit has been shifted to the fourth floor of the new surgical block. Each machine can handle three to four sessions daily, accommodating patients who require treatment multiple times a week.

Corporate contributions from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) and KIOCL supported the expansion, with plans to procure additional machines if demand rises.

Minister Rao announced that Wenlock Hospital is being considered for an upgrade to a regional hospital. Highlighting the hospital’s 70-year partnership with KMC, he commended the staff for making it one of Karnataka’s leading government hospitals.

The government is expected to invest ₹35 crore through KMC to facilitate this upgrade.

Infrastructure upgrades are also underway. A new ₹70-crore outpatient department (OPD) block is nearing completion to improve patient flow, while a 50-bed critical care block is in the pipeline with an estimated cost of ₹17 crore.

A surgical super-specialty building with 12 modular operation theatres has already been inaugurated under Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL), strengthening the hospital’s surgical capacity

Additional initiatives include the launch of a cloth bank, ‘Karuneya Totillu,’ by M Friends Charitable Trust, to provide clean clothing to patients and caretakers traveling long distances.

The program will expand to Lady Goschen Hospital from November 1, 2025.

Wenlock Hospital is also undergoing digital transformation into a fully operational e-hospital. KMC is supplying 200 computers to digitize hospital operations, aiming to enhance healthcare access for underprivileged patients across nearly ten districts.

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