PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT : KASTURBA HEALTH SOCIETY

This final evaluation covers the period 1/71-12/77. No methodology is specified. Funds were provided to the Kasturba Health Society (KHS) to finance the construction of eight major buildings and several minor buildings and related facilities, medical college and hospital equipment and furniture, and architectural and engineering services. Construction was begun in early 1971, but was delayed due to acute shortages of steel and cement; changes in the requirements of certain buildings and subsequent design modifications; slow progress by contractors and poor construction supervision; and initial poor architectural services and supervision. Despite these delays and cost-overruns (which were met by KHS), the project was successfully completed. A medical college, 500-bed hospital, staff quarters, and hostels, and other related buildings were completed and are functioning satisfactorily. MGIMS is admitting 60 students for the medical graduate course and about 19 students for the medical postgraduate course each year. Twenty nurses, technicians, community health workers, auxiliary nurses and midwives are also being trained annually. Standards of this medical training program are comparable with any other medical school in India. Most of the hospital equipment has been procured and commissioned. Occupancy of the hospital beds is 90 percent, and some 300 patients visit the out-patient department daily, while 1,000 patients use the in-patient facilities each month. The medical college is being utilized as a health delivery base, economically meeting the medical education and health needs of the rural communities surrounding the campus. Recurring expenditures for operating the hospital and medical college are shared by the Governments of India and Maharashtra and KHS.