From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Apr 25: As against the Government of India’s target of making India Malaria-Mukht by 2030, Karnataka should be free from Malaria by 2027, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Monday, April 25.
Addressing the World Malaria Day at the PMSY Hospital in the Victoria Hospital campus, the minister stressed the need for creating public awareness about Malaria and said the goal of achieving ‘’Healthy Karnataka’’ can be realised if the private hospitals join hands with the government hospitals.
Dr Sudhakar said the World Health Organisation (WHO) is observing April 25 as World Malaria Day, which was initially observing ‘’Africa Malaria Day’’ and was later changed as World Malaria Day after the disease spread to African and Asian countries. Some cases of Malaria have been reported even in USA mainly on account of tourists.
He said it was matter of deep concern that the maximum number of deaths due to Malaria in the Asian sub-continent were taking place in India and emphasised the need for educating the people through mass campaign.
The Swacch Bharat Mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a very important initiative, he said pointing out that cleanliness was the key issue in improving health. In the past, 70 to 80% of rural households did not have toilets and under the Swacch Bharat Mission as many as 12 crore toilets have been constructed during the last 7 years, he said.
Concern over rise in Malaria in Udupi, Mangaluru
Dr Sudhakar said it was very encouraging to note that 10 districts in Karnataka have not reported a single case of Malaria during the last 3 years and complimented the Health Department and staff for their dedicated work.
However, he expressed concern over the increase in Malaria cases in the coastal Udupi and Mangaluru. The government is conducting a study to understand the causes and take up a suitable programme to tackle the menace.
The Minister said it was very important to get blood tests done when a person has regular fever or other symptoms. Early detection was the best solution to cure Malaria, he said.
Free Health Service for all is goal
The Health Minister said under the National Health Service scheme all citizens are provided with free health care and wanted Karnataka also to follow the model. It is necessary to provide treatment for serious diseases and even critical surgeries in all government hospitals.
When all health services, which cost heavily in private hospitals, are made available to the citizens, the goal of Healthy Karnataka can be achieved, he said.
Dr Sudhakar launched the state of the art Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber (HBO2) unveiled at the Victoria Hospital, which is imported from the USA at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
The Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber, which is used to treat some kinds of infections and conditions, would cost Rs 3000 to 4000 for a one hour session in the hyperbaric chamber at private hospitals. However, the government is considering providing this treatment for free at BMCRI to make it affordable to the poor, he said.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber is an airtight room which is pressurized with pure oxygen to treat certain infections and conditions. With pressurized pure oxygen in the chamber, the patient will be able to gather more oxygen than usual which is essential to fight certain types of bacteria. The oxygen will further stimulate systems in the body that aid healing.
He further said the government intends to make costly treatments free which will make Karnataka a healthy state. Poor people cannot go to private hospitals as it is too expensive for them. We are improving government hospitals to make them just as good as private hospitals so that every last person in Karnataka will be able to receive good healthcare.
‘Dr S Ramachandrappa was Dental Healthcare Expert’
The Minister later unveiled the statue of Dr S Ramachandrappa in the Government Dental Hospital premises and warmly applauded the contribution of Dr Ramachandrappa in dental healthcare.
Dr Ramachandrappa was instrumental in the growth of the Government Dental Hospital from modest beginning in 1958 to its present pre-eminent stature during the last six decades, he said and described Dr Ramachandrappa is the father of dental medical education in the State.