Is Bengaluru set to get dedicated health commissioner?

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has proposed the creation of a separate Bengaluru Health Commissionerate to streamline operations in government health facilities in the city.

If approved, all health facilities in Bengaluru will be under the direct supervision of the health commissioner, Suralkar Vikas Kishore, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, told DH.

The Bengaluru health commissioner will report to the BBMP chief commissioner for primary and maternal health facilities and directly to the principal secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare — currently held by Harsh Gupta — for secondary and tertiary health facilities in the city. The commissioner will also become an ex officio director on the board of directors of medical colleges in the city.

BBMP officials met with state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao earlier this week to present the proposal. "Yes, we have received the proposal. We will be giving our views on that very shortly," Rao said.

Vikas added, "There was a discussion with the health minister three days ago regarding this. Right now, various government health facilities are under both the BBMP and the state health department. If a Bengaluru health commissionerate is set up, it can help in uniformity of command and coordination of all government programsme."

Many facilities within the Bengaluru city limits, such as some primary and community health centres, are not currently under the BBMP. This new position will cover all facilities in the city limits; hence, the health commissioner will have 'Bengaluru' in their title, not the BBMP, he clarified.

State Health Commissioner D Randeep said the proposal has also reached him. "We (the department) have to look at the pros and cons of the proposal, how they will take over all the PHCs in the city, how the National Health Mission will continue to be effectively implemented, and how the overall reporting structure will be. We will submit our inputs to the minister soon," he said, adding that the department will try to do whatever is in the best interest of the citizens.