New taluk hospitals will come up in Byndoor, Moodbidri, says Khader

U.T. Khader, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, at a press conference in Mangaluru on Monday.
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H.S. MANJUNATH

As part of work to strengthen government hospitals in taluks of the coastal region, the State government will set up a new taluk hospital at Byndoor in Udupi district and at Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada. The taluk hospital in Bhatkal of Uttara Kannada will be further strengthened, said Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader in Mangaluru on Monday.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Khader said strengthening infrastructure of government hospitals in taluks will prevent rush to hospitals such as Mangaluru’s Government Wenlock Hospital, Bengaluru’s Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health and Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research.

Following Cabinet approval for phase-wise increase of bed strength of Wenlock Hospital by 400, Mr. Khader said the government has notified increase of beds by 200 as the first phase of the expansion work.

“With continuous increase in the number of patients coming to Wenlock Hospital from across the State, even this increase in the bed capacity will not meet the demand. Hence we are seriously pursuing strengthening government hospitals in taluks,” the Minister said.

Care app

Mr. Khader said a “Care” app was being developed by the department which will indicate availability of beds in Wenlock and other prime government hospitals. “A mechanism is being put in place for hospitals to look at the availability of beds and then refer patients to Wenlock hospital,” he said.

The Minister said preliminary work for setting up satellite centres of the Jayadeva Institute and the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Moodushedde is being done.

On the pending demand for allotment of DC Manna (depressed classes) land to SCs and STs, Mr. Khader said modalities for allotment were being worked out. “Obviously, Dalit activists are pained over the delay. I have spoken to Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara, and he is actively pursuing it. It will shortly come before the Cabinet”.

Mr. Khader said all decisions taken by the Cabinet during the meeting in Mangaluru on September 18 will be implemented. “Its the duty of the Finance Department to raise objections to investment proposals by the Government. The Cabinet has given its word (on September 18) and the same will be implemented,” he said.

Adopting PPP model for some of the development works will not mean handing over control of these works to private bodies, he said.

The government will shortly recruit translators, following a decision to grant second official language status to Tulu, he said.

Mr. Khader held meeting with district officials on Monday at the office of the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner to work out a plan and take other actions for implementation of Cabinet decisions.