K'taka govt to set up super-speciality cancer cardiac hospitals in all districts in 3 years

Bengaluru, Jun 25 (PTI) Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Wednesday announced that the state government will establish super-speciality hospitals, trauma centres, cancer hospitals, and cardiac care hospitals in every district over the next three years.
    Speaking to reporters, Patil said the Congress government is committed to transforming the healthcare landscape.
    He added that the Department of Medical Education has laid out a comprehensive three-year development roadmap.
    “Our government will establish super-speciality hospitals, trauma centres, cancer hospitals, and cardiac care hospitals in every district in the next three years,” Patil reiterated.
    According to him, several new initiatives have been implemented, and reforms are already underway in the Medical Education Department.
    Work has already begun on establishing super-specialty hospitals across the state, including in Kalaburagi and Dharwad, Patil added.
    He further stated that the aim is to ensure that all citizens have easy and affordable access to quality medical treatment in every district.
    Patil also said that branches of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences will be set up in the Hubballi and Belagavi regions, and these units will be inaugurated soon.
    Responding to a question on the seat-blocking scam, the minister said there is 100 per cent transparency in the Medical Education Department and that there is no seat-blocking in the system.
    The seat blocking scam in Karnataka, which has been going on for a long time, involves private coaching agents or individuals reserving MBBS seats in private colleges during the initial rounds of NEET counselling without any intention of joining.
    These seats are later vacated, allowing colleges to convert them into higher-fee management or NRI quota seats, bypassing merit and inflating costs for genuine students. Raids have also been carried out by central agencies in connection with the scam.
    “All medical seats are allotted purely on merit through the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA),” Patil clarified.
    He added that a proposal has been submitted to the Centre to increase 800 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate medical seats in the state.
    Patil said the department has received feedback and suggestions from party workers on where hospital upgrades are needed.
    A new Jayadeva hospital has been inaugurated in Kalaburagi. Another unit already exists in Mysuru, and next year, a 400-bed Jayadeva hospital will be inaugurated in Hubballi. Work is currently in progress, he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)