‘Every drug and test required will be available in all our hospitals…’

Healthcare is a crucial factor in the progress of a state. It has an impact on productivity. It takes a healthy and fit populace to push development. Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, shares his agenda to upgrade the system in the State and make quality healthcare accessible to all, in this chat with B S Manu Rao

You have a special focus on health. What initiatives have you planned, especially for rural areas in Karnataka?

We have initiated ‘Anaemia Mukt Poushtika Karnataka’ to counter the prevalence of anaemia, especially among young girls, newly-married and pregnant women. So far, we have covered around 12 lakh girls. Around July, we would have covered around 65 lakh girls across all schools in Karnataka.

The chief minister recently inaugurated the Asha Kirana programme. With this initiative we have taken eyecare to the doorsteps of people. In eight districts, we are screening for eye defects, and treating people, if required, free of cost. We are also performing cataract surgeries free of cost. We will take up more districts and cover the entire population of Karnataka.

We just introduced 262 new ambulances. We are modernising our existing ambulances soon. We will monitor the pick-up and drop - the time taken and efficiency of the system. The patients can get some basic care on the way. We will have a good command centre. We are going in for a complete change in the 108 facilities.

Another initiative is the tele-ICU facility. We have now taken it up in 42 taluk hospitals. These are connected to four district hospitals where we have speciality care. ICU management is done by specialists who cannot be at taluk hospitals. Now, they can interact with patients and track readings. This year, we want to expand it to another 60 taluks. We will soon cover the entire State. With every taluk hospital connected, patients will get specialist care in all of them.

We have taken up screening, especially for women, for breast and cervical cancer. We are acquiring the necessary equipment for 20 district hospitals. Given the reports of relatively high prevalence among women, we want to take this up and it has been included in the Budget.

As an initiative to save lives in cases of severe heart attack, we have launched the Dr Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana. We are providing specialised drugs in taluk hospitals. We have covered around 50 taluks so far. A hub will track ECGs using artificial intelligence. This will ensure the person can be rushed to a taluk hospital and receive treatment within the golden hour, if found to be having a severe attack. Specialised treatment will be given later. This will save lives and severe damage to the heart.

How strong is the government’s healthcare system? Especially primary and secondary care?

We have our primary and community health centres across the State. They provide basic care. If a case requires specialised care, the patient is referred to a taluk hospital. We are working on augmenting lab tests and increasing availability of drugs. We are working on ensuring that all required drugs are available at the primary health centres across the State. They will also be able to conduct all prescribed lab tests at their level, and patients won’t have to go elsewhere for a test. I am confident that within the next six months drugs and all lab tests prescribed will be available to everyone in Karnataka. We are working on massive reforms. Our hospitals will function at optimum level.

Any specific measures you would like to talk about to enhance mother and child welfare in Karnataka?

Mother and child welfare is the basics of our health system. We aim to ensure mothers are healthy. We promote natural birth over Caesarean. We take measures to ensure healthy babies. We have acquired neonatal ambulances to move babies from one hospital to another, when needed, safely. This is a basic and fundamental work of our department. We are working on improving the nutrition aspect. We are setting up more mother and child hospitals. This is an area in focus.

Any specific measures to prevent, pre-empt and contain epidemics?

We need to strengthen our surveillance mechanism. We have an advisory committee that meets and decides on a course of action if there is a threat. We need to improve our testing. So, this year, we are increasing facilities at taluk and district levels. We are establishing integrated labs at taluk and district hospitals. We will be able to track any epidemics. After Covid-19, we have a better mechanism. We have learnt from that experience. There are procedures in place to tackle any such outbreaks. We have the necessary infrastructure such as critical care, ICU beds, oxygen support etc in case needed. We have conducted a thorough check on all the facilities and can manage any situation.

How do we fare on immunisation?

Immunisation is a major programme. Our primary health and ASHA workers work on this. We have a routine to immunise against measles, rubella and hepatitis. Immunisation is constantly tracked and monitored. We are doing well with almost 97 per cent coverage. As I said, mother and child welfare are a major focus for us.

Any plans to upgrade government hospitals across the State?

We have done a lot. This Budget has allotted around Rs 500 crores to upgrading infrastructure in our hospitals. First, we will improve our existing hospitals. We are adding beds to hospitals in taluks. New hospitals will be built in seven taluks. We are adding 46 primary health centres and 15 critical care blocks in 15 districts. Now, we have Rs 75 crores annually towards basic maintenance of our hospitals. In Bengaluru, the KC General Hospital is being developed further on a budget of Rs 150 crores. We have planned 25 new primary health centres too at a cost of Rs 350 crores. While we have 6,193 health centres in the State, we are adding around 200 new health and wellness centres. So, major infrastructure upgradation has been taken up.

Any major outreach programmes you have initiated?

Our ASHA workers are on the job. They conduct primary screenings and check for non-communicable diseases. We are launching Gruha Arogya scheme in eight districts. We will visit every household and screen for diabetes, hypertension etc. Often, people don’t know they have these conditions. Also, many may be aware but won’t be taking medicines. Now, with the screening, we will be providing them with drugs at their doorstep free of cost. This project will have a huge impact. It will save people from many other complications such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, kidney ailments etc as these arise from hypertension and diabetes if untreated.

Recently, we launched 12 mobile eye clinics. All districts now have mobile eye clinics. They go to villages and screen for eye defects.

We have launched around 70 mobile clinics in remote areas. These are primary health centres on wheels. They have a doctor and a technician. They cover 70 remote taluks.

Any specific plan to tackle the menace of cancer?

We need to change people’s lifestyles first. So, we want to bring it into education. This year we have worked out a sort of syllabus and sent it to the education department. Children in the 10th standard and PUC will be made aware of how cancer, stroke and heart problems come with their lifestyle. Less physical activity, junk food and bad habits are causes of heart attack.

We are also educating the public and making them more aware of need for physical activity. Early detection is another point. We are working on a pilot project of screening for lung cancer through all digital x-rays taken across the State. Every digital x-ray of the chest that is taken, for whatever reason, is screened now by an AI software, which will find suspect cases.

We will take up screening for breast and cervical cancer for women. Ultimately, we need to provide vaccination for cervical cancer.

Is healthcare, health and family welfare a passion for you?

I think it’s a very interesting and fulfilling sector. You can change and impact so many lives. We want to improve our facilities by improving our systems. We can render great service to people. Working in the healthcare system gives us great joy. There’s so much to be done and improve. I’m enjoying the work.

Any goals you have for yourself?

Gruha Arogya is a goal I have set. Basic medicines, which are essential, will be delivered to the doorsteps of people. Another goal I have is ensuring every drug and test required is available in all our hospitals. I want to develop a system where people go to our hospitals and get the treatment they need without any problems. I want to achieve this in next 6-8 months. The third goal is to improve the maternal and infant mortality rate. The fourth goal is to build a high-tech 104 call centre and 108 ambulance facilities.

Ambulance equipped for new-borns needing special care.

A CPR training programme.

Are you promoting Karnataka as a healthcare destination?

It is happening by itself. Many people come to use the facilities here. Discussions on health infra projects are on. It is still at an early stage but we are looking at it. Karnataka is doing well in organ donations. We are now No 2 in India in organ donations. So we attract many recipients. We want to promote organ donation too. One body can save six lives.