Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, May 22: In a significant push to strengthen emergency cardiac care across Karnataka, the ‘Puneeth Heart Jyothi’ scheme — launched in memory of late Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar — is set to be expanded to all taluks in the state, health minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced on Friday.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for several health department projects at Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall in Mangaluru, the minister said the initiative, which is already operating through 78 centres statewide, has emerged as a crucial life-saving intervention for patients suffering sudden cardiac arrest.
In Dakshina Kannada alone, three such centres have reportedly saved around 450 lives this year, underscoring the scheme’s growing impact at the district level.
The programme ensures timely emergency treatment during the critical golden hour following cardiac arrest. Under the scheme, the government provides the costly clot-busting injection Tenecteplase free of charge, along with surgical and other necessary medical interventions.
Four new Endosulfan care centres cleared
In another major announcement, Gundu Rao said the government has approved four additional care centres for endosulfan victims in Dakshinla Kannada district. The centres will come up at Paanaje in Puttur taluk, Kaniyur in Beltangady, Vitta in Bantwal and Bellare in Sullia.
At present, the district has two such centres. Responding to long-standing demands from affected families, the government has sanctioned the expansion with an allocation of ?1.26 crore for the 2026–27 financial year. The new centres are scheduled to become operational from June 1.
Push for public–private healthcare partnerships
Highlighting efforts to strengthen rural healthcare delivery, the Minister detailed several public–private partnership agreements between government hospitals and medical colleges.
Under these arrangements, Bantwal taluk hospital has been tied up with A J Medical College, the Community Health Centre in Moodbidri with Alva’s Medical College, and Vittal CHC with Yenepoya Medical College.
He said the collaboration model was already yielding results, citing the successful completion of two free knee replacement surgeries in Bantwal, benefiting economically weaker patients.
Responding to criticism of such tie-ups, Gundu Rao questioned detractors, saying there was no disruption to public services and urged critics to engage constructively instead of opposing without understanding the facts.
Major infrastructure push at Wenlock Hospital
Several key healthcare infrastructure projects were also launched at Wenlock District Hospital, including:
- A new outpatient department (OPD) complex, with a total sanctioned cost of Rs 70 crore, of which work worth Rs 35 crore has been initiated.
- A 500 KLD sewage treatment plant (STP) being constructed at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
- A CSR-funded Rs 10 crore project from MRPL for construction of the 4th and 5th floors of the hospital’s Medicine Block.
During the event, Speaker U T Khader emphasised that in a populous country like India, it is not possible for the government alone to address every challenge.
He said healthcare, education and housing sectors were being strengthened through partnerships with private institutions, and urged people to engage directly with authorities rather than criticising schemes on social media or from public spaces.
The programme was attended by MLC Ivan D'Souza and several other senior officials and dignitaries from the health and administrative sectors.
Cabinet reshuffle buzz surfaces
Interestingly, remarks made during the event praising the district in-charge minister sparked informal speculation about a possible cabinet reshuffle or expansion in the state government.
When asked about it on the sidelines, minister Dinesh Gundu Rao responded with a smile, saying, “Nothing like that has been confirmed. But anything can happen — it may even happen next month.”