JOIN USThe Karnataka government would construct a Rs 90 crore 'Aarogya Soudha' here to house all offices coming under the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader said such an initiative would enhance efficiency of the department and promote teamwork.
Officials said it would be a nine-storey "green" building for which four acres on Magadi Road had been identified and foundation stone is expected to be laid within a week.
Khader said the government would soon launch a helpline '104' to enable people to know nearest health facilities, lodge complaints and grievances and get medical tips in emergencies.
The government also proposed to introduce bio-metric systems in all government-run hospitals to see that all the staff come on time and don't shirk work, the minister said.
Khader said an equipment monitoring cell would be created so that malfunctioning machines - such as X-ray, scanning and those in operation theatre and ICUs - are rectified in quick time. Such equipment would be procured from quality manufacturers directly in future and there would no middlemen.
The minister said he is keen to see that rural service becomes mandatory for MBBS and Post-graduates in medicine. While there is a law in this regard, he noted that such graduates get away by paying the prescribed fine and skip rural service.