Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Mar 7: First time in the history of Karnataka, the government hospitals have earned an income of Rs 108 crore. These hospitals are given a target of earning Rs 500 crore by the end of 2019 under Ayushman Bharat and Arogya Karnataka schemes.

Giving the details, health minister Shivanand Patil said, “Health department can create their own income. There is no need for us to seek any grant from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The government hospitals are meeting their targets. Government hospitals in the state are well-equipped and most of the people are getting treated under various schemes of the government.

Patil disclosed the data that is obtained from 405 government hospitals, including taluk and district hospitals, which are registered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme of the center and Arogya Karnataka scheme of the state government. He said that 19 hospitals have earned an income of more than Rs one crore each. Among these, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology has earned an income of Rs 30.21 crores, while Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology has earned Rs 6.31 crores.

Responding to the queries related to the shortage of medicines and staff in government hospitals, the minister said, “There are enough funds in National Health Mission. The taluk and district health officers are given the authority to procure medicines in emergency situations. The government hospitals have basic infrastructure as well as manpower. We have 619 permanent doctors and 1,343 general doctors on contract in urban and rural services. 458 experts are recruited in state government hospitals.”

Patil warned the private hospitals of strict action, if they do not display the board giving details of cost for all kinds of treatments. According to the Karnataka Private Medical Organizations Act of 2019, it is mandatory for the private hospitals to display the rates fixed for various treatments. However, most of the private hospitals do not follow this.