BENGALURU: The state government is setting up 150 extension clinics in rural, inaccessible, far flung areas of the state that is estimated to cost `14.45 crore per year for operationally. A government order in this regard was issued on January 1.
A total of 450 posts of doctors, nurses and Group D workers will be created for this purpose. While doctors will be employed on a contract basis for a monthly salary of `45,000, nurses for `13,072 and Group D staff for `12,243. The department already has around 500 posts that are empty, 466 of which are going to be filled through Karnataka Public Service Commission.
Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ajay Seth, said, “We are going to recruit doctors on a contract basis so recruitment shouldn’t be a problem. Or we will push our regular doctors to work in these clinics if vacancies still arise. Most of these clinics are going to come up in Hyderabad-Karnataka region.
For every 30,000 population there is supposed to be one primary health centre. By that measure, the state is supposed to have 1,400 PHCs, we have 2,400 PHCs, 1,000 in excess. But since we want to have one clinic in 10 km radius, these are being set up. This will only be for consultation and there will be no beds. For that one needs to visit the PHC.”
The operational cost of each clinic will be `18,350. Gram Panchayat offices, schools, community halls and government buildings will be used ofr the same. If any of these are not available, buildings will be taken on rent for `2,000. No new copnstructions will be done. `10,000 worth of drugs will be procured from the Karnataka Drug Logistics and Warehousing Society for each clinics and `50,000 will be spent on procuring furniture for each clinic.
‘avoid cross practice’
In a circular dated 9th January, director of AYUSH directed that doctors under National Health Mission 24/7 PHCs under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram programme working against MBBS posts should prescribe medicines from the specialty of medicine they are practising like Ayurveda, Unani, Sidda and Homeopathy and avoid cross practice. The medicines have been provided under NHM and if more are required, they will be supplied.