Will discuss with Finance Department to bring dialysis treatment under insurance scheme: Minister
Bengaluru: Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Thursday said he will discuss with the Finance Department about bringing dialysis treatment under 'Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka' (ABRK) health insurance scheme to facilitate dialysis in private hospitals.
He was responding to questions by Udupi BJP MLA Yashpal A Suvarna during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly here.
Noting that the problem is that the agency that previously managed the dialysis units in the state did not manage them adequately, Rao said the salary for technicians, and PF And ESI for them are not borne by it.
Technicians used to go on strike time and again. The government held talks with the technicians and assured them that PF and ESI will be borne by the government. A negligent agency is blacklisted and fined.
A fresh tender has been invited for maintenance of dialysis units, he said. The tender process for Bengaluru, Mysuru and Belagavi divisions is already underway and the tender for Kalaburagi division will also be called soon. He assured that a new organisation will manage in a better way.
''168 dialysis units across the state have been increased to 219'', the Minister said. ''The 649 machines have increased to 800. Out of 59 taluks, 48 taluks do not have taluk health centers. So dialysis units have been set up in 48 community health centers,'' he said. So, in a month, new dialysis machines and technicians will be available, and they will be managed well.
Further stating that the dialysis units will function under the supervision of District Health Family Officers till the new institution takes over the management, the Minister said provision has been made for installation of machines for single use dialyzers in the new tender.
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Sculptor Ram Sutar, designer of Statue of Unity, passes away
New Delhi (PTI): Noted sculptor Ram Sutar, known for designing the world's tallest statue — Statue of Unity — in Gujarat, passed away late on Wednesday night at his Noida residence, his son said.
He was 100 and ailing with age-related illnesses.
"It is with profound grief that we inform you of the passing of my father Shri Ram Vanji Sutar on 17th December midnight at our residence," his son Anil Sutar said in a note shared with the press on Thursday.
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Born in a humble family in Gondur village under the Dhule district of present-day Maharashtra on February 19, 1925, Sutar is known to have been drawn to sculpting from his childhood.
A gold medallist from JJ School of Art and Architecture, Mumbai, Sutar, has to his credit a long list of achievements.
The iconic statues of Mahatma Gandhi seated in a meditating pose and of Chhatrapati Shivaji riding a horse on the Parliament premises rank among his finest creations.
The Statue of Unity honours Sardar Patel, country's first deputy prime minister and home minister.
Sutar was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016.
Recently, Sutar was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan Puraskar, the state's highest award.
