Karnataka to deploy triple specialists across govt health facilities to boost maternal, child care
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Friday said it has initiated a rationalisation process to strengthen Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services and reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates by deploying triple specialists—obstetricians, anaesthetists, and paediatricians—across government health facilities.
According to a statement from the health department, all taluk hospitals will be developed as Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEMONC) centres, and 41 Community Health Centres (CHCs) with an average monthly delivery load of 30 or more will retain triple specialists.
Specialists from about 230 underperforming CHCs will be redeployed to taluk hospitals, while remote CHCs such as Male Mahadeshwara Hills, Santhemarahalli, Talakadu, and Bannur will continue to be staffed with specialists.
To offset redeployments, underperforming CHCs will be strengthened with additional medical officers, senior medical officers, dentists, and staff nurses. The plan also includes adding specialists for every 100 extra delivery cases, the statement added.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao called the move a “historic decision” taken by the cabinet on Thursday to enhance maternal services in taluk hospitals and key healthcare facilities across the state.
“Currently, taluk hospitals operate with one gynaecologist, one paediatrician, and one anaesthetist. Now, all 148 taluk hospitals and 41 CHCs—a total of 189 hospitals—will have a double triad: two gynaecologists, two paediatricians, two anaesthetists, and one radiologist, operating round-the-clock, supported by three additional staff nurses,” Rao told reporters here.
He emphasised that emergencies involving pregnancy or maternal and child health must be addressed 24/7 in taluk hospitals.
“All taluk hospitals, 41 CHCs, and district hospitals will provide continuous MCH services to the people of Karnataka,” he said.
The department noted that only 31 of 148 taluk hospitals currently record more than 100 deliveries a month, with many facilities facing specialist shortages. Of 274 CHCs, only 114 have obstetricians, and 11 taluk hospitals operate without one.
To address these gaps, the government plans to create 114 radiologist posts, redeploy staff nurses from underperforming 24x7 primary health centres, and assign three additional nurses to each CEMONC hospital. Counselling and awareness programmes on delivery options, nutrition, immunisation, and family welfare for pregnant women will also be introduced.
The government aims to transform all taluk hospitals into comprehensive CEMONC centres, ensure reliable healthcare services, and significantly reduce maternal and child mortality while minimising emergency referrals, the statement further said.
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Telangana: Man sets woman on fire for 'rejecting' marriage proposal
Hyderabad (PTI): A 28-year-old married woman was set on fire allegedly by a man after she "rejected" his marriage proposal in Mahabubabad town on Tuesday, police said.
The accused, in his 40s, who runs a shop, had developed an "illicit" relationship with the woman and was suspecting that she was in contact with another person and that she was "ignoring" him.
He poured petrol on the woman when she was alone at her house and set her on fire. He then hugged her and both of them suffered injuries, police said.
They were initially shifted to Government Hospital in Mahabubabad and later admitted to another state-run Hospital in Warangal for further treatment.
As per the doctors, the woman suffered 90 per cent burns in the incident while the accused 75 per cent burns, police said.
The woman's mother, in a complaint to the police, stated that her daughter was married to a man in Gudur mandal.
Due to family disputes, the woman came to Mahabubabad along with her two children and was residing there for the past three years.
She was running a vegetable cart. The accused was already married, and his wife had passed away. He developed an"illicit" relationship with the woman, police said.
The accused allegedly forced and harassed the victim to marry him, the complainant said.
Based on a complaint, an attempt to murder case was registered in connection with the incident, police added.
