No staff crunch, waiting lines at Victoria, Bowring hospitals: Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao

On the first day of the winter session in Belagavi, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stated there are no waiting lines or shortage of staff at government hospitals across the city.

Responding to a question from Member of Legislative Council HS Gopinath about the minister’s awareness of long waiting time at Victoria Hospital, Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, and KC General Hospital, Rao said, “At KC General Hospital, the waiting time has been reduced by issuing tokens through a QR code system.”

“Victoria Hospital receives patients from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu as well. Appropriate measures have been taken to reduce the waiting time and currently, there is no waiting time,” said Rao.

At Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, HSIS Ghosha Hospital and Charaka Hospital in Shivajinagar, treatment is being provided without any issues, added the minister.

Speaking about the shortage of staff, Rao said, "At Victoria Hospital, doctors and paramedical staff have been appointed on a contract basis to provide services.” “At Bowring Hospital, there is no shortage of doctors or paramedical staff.”

In Bengaluru Urban district, NCD (Non-Communicable Disease) units have been established in nine hospitals under the NCD programme, he said.

“Screening for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is being carried out in all primary health centres across the city,” he added.

The minister noted that medicines supplied to hospitals are tested by the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) Quality Control Division through the Aushada QC module. “The drug controllers of both the central and state governments regularly conduct random testing of drug samples to avoid any quality-related mishaps,” he added.