Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced that free HPV vaccination will be given to girls in Kalyana Karnataka region from this year to prevent cervical cancer.
Speaking at a free health camp in Manvi, Raichur on Saturday, the minister said that there is a need to bring about a lot of improvement in the health sector in Kalyana Karnataka region.
"The central government should undertake vaccination programs and they have been requested many times to implement HPV vaccination as a national program. But the central government has not taken up the initiative so far. Therefore, the state government has decided to take up the project from this year and will provide HPV vaccination to 14-year-old girls in Kalyana Karnataka region" Gundu Rao said.
Gundu Rao added that Karnataka is the first state in the country to offer such a program.
In line with the state government's plan to reduce maternal and child mortality rate to zero, with Rs 360 crore allocated in the budget, the Health Department also plans to provide 'Vatsalya Thayi kit' to pregnant women in Kalyana Karnataka region.
Other upgrades
Eight new primary health centers have been planned in Kalyana, Karnataka. It has been decided to upgrade a total of four community health centers including Mudgal, Kowthal, Jalahalli, and Arakera from 30 beds to 50 beds.
Lingsugur Taluk Hospital is being upgraded to a district level hospital. Urban health centers have been approved in Manvi and Raichur and primary health centers will be upgraded to community health centers in Gattur, Potnal, and Hatti. "The free health check-up camp held in Manvi received a good response from the people. The health department organized a free health camp to provide quality health services to the rural population. Services including dental, eye, and heart-related diseases were given for free," the Health Department said in a press statement, released on Saturday.