Medical college to be set up in Puttur, 400-bed hospital in Virajpet, announces CM in state budget
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the presentation of the 16th state budget on Friday, announced the state government’s plans to set up a new medical college in Puttur, Dakshina Kannada, in the current year.
Similarly, a 400-bed hospital will be set up in Virajpet in Kodagu district and a 200-bed hospital in Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district. A 200-bed state-of-the-art and well-equipped hospital in Bengaluru North taluk will be built at a cost of Rs. 150 crore, the CM announced.
The Chief Minister revealed plans to upgrade the existing 100-bed taluk hospital in the current year.
“Necessary equipment will be provided to prevent and treat severe bleeding in pregnant women and during childbirth. Maternity services will be strengthened through innovative digital technology. Nutrition kits, incentive money and affection kits for mothers will be distributed in backward districts to prevent anemia in pregnant women,” he said.
Furthermore he also unveiled plans to deploy MCH (Maternal and Child Health) specialists in every taluk hospital by reallocating posts. He stated , “Maternal mortality in the state will be audited by the State Technical Expert Committee and the recommendations will be presented before the State Empowered Committee. Plans will be formulated to prevent maternal mortality as per the directions of the committee.”
Additionally the Siddaramaiah highlighted that some steps have been taken in terms of health infrastructure development. “Accordingly, 14 Critical Care Blocks with a capacity of 50 beds have been constructed in the state and one Critical Care Block with a capacity of 100 beds in Bengaluru city. Approval has been given to establish 50-bed maternal and child hospitals in Athani, Hungund and Mudhol.” he said.
“Under the Asha Kirana National Blindness Eradication Programme, 1.4 crore people have been screened for eye diseases; 3.3 lakh people have been given free spectacles and 93,800 people have undergone cataract surgeries. Under the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative (KaBHI) for neurological diseases, a total of 2.61 lakh people have been screened in collaboration with National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and 32,630 neurological patients have been treated. Rs. 20 crore has been provided to extend this scheme to all levels of health centers this year. In addition, care centers will be set up in district-level hospitals in collaboration with non-government organizations for the care of mentally ill people,” he announced.
He also revealed that the state government intends to upgrade primary health centres (PHC’s) in newly declared taluks which include Hanur, Alnavar, Annigeri, Maski, Siriwara, Kaup, Babaleswar, Kolhara, Chelur, Teradala as Community Health Centers.
He also announced plans to renovate taluk level hospitals of Malur, Magadi, Kushalnagar, Koratagere, Jagalur, Savanur, Ramadurga and Savadatti as well as Davanagere District Hospital and Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru at a total cost of Rs. 650 crore. In addition to starting a new community health center in Ponnampet taluk.
Accordingly, Tagadur Community Health Center in Mysuru district will be upgraded to a 100-bed hospital. District hospitals and taluk hospitals that require more repairs will be repaired in phases at a cost of Rs. 183 crore, the CM added.
Furthermore, “Under the Kalyana Karnataka Comprehensive Health Development Scheme, various projects will be undertaken to strengthen the health system at a total cost of Rs. 873 crore to provide quality health services and improve the health index of the Kalyana Karnataka region. A plan has been made to provide cashless treatment of up to Rs. 5 lakh to more than three lakh staff members and dependents working on contract, outsourcing and honorarium basis in various government departments. The staff will contribute Rs. 100 per month and the government will contribute Rs. 200 per month. It will be implemented through the Suvarna Health Trust.”
He also announced a program to be developed to detect rare metabolic disorders in prenatal and newborn babies. He stated that in the first phase, it will be implemented experimentally in Kalyana Karnataka and mine-affected areas at a cost of Rs. 10 crore. He said, “In order to prevent cervical cancer in women, in the first phase, Rs. 9 crore will be provided in 20 taluks of the mine-affected and Kalyana Karnataka region. In addition, HPV vaccine will be given to 14-year-old girls at a cost of Rs. 50 crore.”
“Under the 'Gruha Arogya' scheme, a screening and treatment program for six non-communicable diseases has been launched in Kolar district in 2024-25, and this scheme will be expanded across the state at a cost of Rs. 100 crore. With the aim of improving the 108 ambulance service, the 'Arogya Kavacha' service will be strengthened by bringing the command control center that controls this service under the Health Department. For the effective control of infectious diseases such as Chikungunya, Dengue and Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) seen in the Malnad region, preventive control measures will be taken in the form of a special campaign at a cost of Rs. 50 crore,” the CM announced.
He also stated that under the “Shravan Sanjeevini” scheme, Rs. 12 crore will be provided for early detection of hearing loss in children and for cochlear implant surgery and maintenance, repair and replacement of implant components. “100 True-NAT machines will be provided to health centers with high TB cases in 2025-26. The honorarium of ASHA workers will be increased by Rs. 1,000 by providing team-based incentives. To ensure the quality and safety of food, food samples are being analyzed through mobile food laboratories, unsafe and substandard food is being identified and action is being taken as per the law,” he said.
He highlighted that, “Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) will be strengthened to distribute quality medicines in public health institutions. Software will be introduced for monitoring and maintenance of medical equipment.”
Meanwhile, regarding the prevention of burn injuries and treatment of victims, the CM announced that the state will implement the Burn Injury Treatment Policy for the first time in the country.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
