Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Credit: DH File Photo
The state health department expects to formally launch several initiatives by the end of the month to expedite progress in all its proposed programs before the general elections.
Under the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative (KaBHI) in collaboration with Nimhans, brain health clinics have been established in all district hospitals across the state, noted Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. “It is probably going to be launched by the Chief Minister on February 26,” he told DH.
Similarly, the Shuchi scheme to supply menstrual pads to all schoolgirls and the Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyothi scheme for heart attack victims, which will include the provision of free Tenecteplase injections and the installation of emergency Automatic Defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces, are also set to be launched by the end of this month, he said.
While the minister is not keen on installing AEDs in public spaces -- owing to the general public's lack of training in handling them -- and believes that they should rather be where trained personnel are already available, D Randeep, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare Services, told DH that, once all machines are installed, the scheme could also include programmes to train people on AED usage.
We can also expect the spectacle distribution programme under the Asha Kirana initiative (door-to-door eye screening) to be held around February 18 in Haveri, noted Randeep. “Screening has been completed across the state. This scheme might be launched on February 18,” he said.
Of 23 primary health centres (PHCs) that were to be upgraded to Community Health Centres (CHCs), 15 have been considered, with the necessary infrastructure and equipment in place, and the human resources being expanded to meet demand.
While the department has increased the number of dialysis centres across the state from a sanctioned 171 (168 running) to 219, the tendering process to procure dialysis machines in Kalaburagi division is still underway.
Randeep said that tenders are being called to procure 15 handheld x-ray machines to screen tuberculosis (TB). The 2023-24 budget noted that two machines costing Rs 20 lakh each would be deployed per district in 8 districts.
Budget expectations
Ahead of the budget, senior health department officials hope for adequate allocation for the maintenance and repair of infrastructure and strengthening of existing facilities. They are also expecting priority allocations and approvals for targeted schemes for the development of healthcare facilities in North Karnataka, besides a special focus on the treatment of non-communicable diseases in hospitals across the state.