No AIIMS for Raichur! Injustice under Modi government continues, says Minister Gundu Rao

Rao emphasised that Karnataka had already announced this initiative last year and has been actively working on it since then.
The Union Budget has fully  exempted 36 lifesaving drugs from basic customs duty
The Union Budget has fully exempted 36 lifesaving drugs from basic customs duty Photo | Allen Egenuse J
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BENGALURU: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao slammed the Union government for ignoring the state’s long-standing demand for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raichur in this year’s Union Budget.

“Our demand for an AIIMS in Raichur has been completely ignored. While 22 states have received approval for AIIMS, Karnataka’s long-standing request has yet to get a response,” the minister told TNIE, while saying that Karnataka is nowhere in the priority list for the BJP.

Moreover, while the Centre announced plans to set up 200 daycare cancer centres in district hospitals over the next three years, Gundu Rao pointed out that Karnataka is already ahead, with the chief minister set to inaugurate such centres next month across all districts in Karnataka.

Rao emphasised that Karnataka had already announced this initiative last year and has been actively working on it since then. He stated that by the next month, the daycare cancer centres will be inaugurated. “Karnataka has already reserved beds in district hospitals and collaborated with various institutions to ensure seamless operations of these centres,” he said.

While the exemption of 36 life-saving drugs from basic customs duty for cancer, rare diseases and severe chronic ailments is a welcome move, the minister stressed that the Union government should have prioritised increasing the honorarium for ASHA workers. He pointed out that despite the programme being centrally managed, the majority of the funding comes from the state, leaving Karnataka to shoulder the financial burden while the Centre fails to provide adequate support.

Elaborating further on AIIMS, the minister said the Union health minister’s suggestion to use Nation Health Mission and PM-ABHIM funds is unrealistic as these funds are already allocated for existing needs.

It is clear that AIIMS requires a dedicated budget, and the Karnataka government is ready to support it fully. However, the Union government’s actions make it obvious that Karnataka is being denied the facility. The injustice to the state under the Modi regime continues unabated, he said.

Rao also mentioned that despite repeated requests for efforts and funding to enrol in the HPV vaccination programme for cervical cancer, the government has failed to even consider it, neglecting a critical initiative that could save countless lives, he said.

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