JOIN USThe helpline for medical consultation (104), to be set up by the department of Health and Family Welfare, will become functional in another 10 days.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the department’s Principal Secretary Madan Gosplan said the helpline, which got cabinet clearance in June 2012, had been set up Hubli in association with Health Management and Research Institute. “The 104 helpline will provide medical advice and counselling on various issues, information on medical directory, take complaints and grievances. This will be a 24/7 helpline,” he said.
The helpline has been set up on a 15,000 sq ft area at Hubli IT park. The helpline will be staffed by a 100 workstations, which is likely to touch 300 in a couple of years, he said.
On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day, the Department is organising a month-long campaign in the state by conducting voluntary blood donation camps.
A mobile bus will traverse across the state and cover Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Bidar, Yadgir, Raichur, Bellary and Bangalore by June 30. Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) Project Director Manoj Kumar Tripathi said the blood collection target for 2013-14 was 6,11,301 units. “We have 178 blood banks of which 86 have blood component separation facility. We want to introduce this facility at more units for the benefit more people,” he said. The Department hopes to conduct around 5,000 camps in association with various organisations.
Dengue cases
Reacting to cases of dengue, Madan Gosplan said the number of cases of dengue and malaria had decreased compared to earlier years.
“We are taking all possible steps to prevent the spread of dengue. But, it is also up to the people to see to it that there is no stagnation of water in their buildings. We are considering penalising building owners who allow stagnation of water on their properties,” he said.