BBMP Budget 2023-24: B'luru to get dedicated health commissioner

Bengaluru may soon get a dedicated health commissioner to bring in coordination between various healthcare service providers in the city.

The scheme — Bangalore Health System (BHS) — was announced in the BBMP budget.

At present, there are central government-run medical institutions like Nimhans and ESI; state government-run hospitals like Victoria, Bowring, and Minto; referral hospitals run by the BBMP; and many other government- and private-run medical college hospitals. A lack of coordination among these institutions has denied quality healthcare to the citizens.

“Now, if a patient reaches a primary health centre (PHC), it is difficult to redirect him to the healthcare facility he needs since the PHCs are run by the BBMP and the tertiary hospitals come under the state government. A dedicated health commissioner, who will be a secretary or a principal secretary-rank officer, will help achieve coordination to provide better healthcare,” said BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath.

BHS will also have a database of medical records of patients for further follow-up. An initial grant of Rs 2 crore has been earmarked in the budget to set up the BHS unit.

‘One Health Plan’

The BBMP has also set aside Rs 5 crore to launch the ‘One Health Plan’, which will help prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.

A Hi-Tech Laboratory and Metropolitan Monitoring Centre will help study the diseases that could spread to humans from animals along with the damage caused to human health by environmental pollution.