Bengaluru, Oct 14 (IANS): In a bid to ramp up health infrastructure in the state-run hospitals, Karnataka on Wednesday sought help from the Infosys Foundation to add as many as 300 beds in the Jayadeva Heart Hospital in the city.

Speaking to reporters here, state Health and Family Welfare Minister K. Sudhakar said, "Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa was able to convince Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murthy to not only build the hospital, but also supply required infrastructure to add 300 more beds to the existing hospital."

With the addition of these many beds, Jayadeva Hospital would become a 1000-bed hospital and become the country's biggest state-run heart care hospital, the minister added.

According to Sudhakar, as per a survey, 25 per cent of the deaths occur due to cardio-vascular diseases.

"A blue-print has been prepared to offer quality treatment to the people of Karnataka. The number of beds at the Jayadeva Hospital will be increased from 700 to 1,000. It will be the largest heart care hospital in the country with 1,000 beds under one roof," said Sudhakar, adding that a fully-equipped 350-bed hospital at a cost of Rs 50 crore will be built by the Infosys Foundation.

He also added that the bed capacity of the Mysuru branch of Jayadeva Hospital will also be augmented to 400 beds besides setting up another operation theatre there.

The minister added that the state government has also decided to release Rs 37 crore to construct a branch of Jayadeva Hospital in Kalaburagi.

"Already this branch is functioning on the third floor of the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS). As the new building will take at least two years to complete, the state government has decided to set-up a cath lab to ease the workload," the minister said.