Wenlock’s ICU expansion hits hurdle due to nurse shortage

Wenlock District Hospital's plan to add 50 ICU beds faces a hurdle due to shortage of trained nursing staff.

Hospital authorities say adding beds and ventilators is not difficult, but finding enough nurses for round-the-clock critical care remains the bigger challenge.

The hospital sought government approval to increase ICU bed strength from 116 to 166.

Wenlock recorded 27,937 inpatient admissions between April 2025 and March 2026, with only 12,147 from Dakshina Kannada.

Many nurses quit after being appointed, often due to lucrative job offers from foreign countries, according to hospital superintendent Dr Shivaprakash DS.