BENGALURU: In both years of distress during the pandemic, Karnataka managed to retain 4 per cent of its budget allocation for health. Experts opine that with this year’s budget being poll-centric and the pandemic situation slowly waning, it may not be a health-centric budget, and is likely to be a tightrope walk for the health sector.
Speaking to TNIE on condition of anonymity, health department officials said the budget this year may have to be looked at as post-Covid and pre-Covid. The focus may now be more on non-Covid disorders -- mainly communicable diseases like cardiac care, cancer care and trauma care.
Free NEET counselling
“With the situation of medical students being the recent focus, this year’s budget may include free NEET counselling to help students studying medicine. There may also be announcements of medical colleges in four districts,” said an official.
Focus on ‘Brain Health’
There may be approval for more trauma care centres in Friday’s budget. ‘Brain Health’ has become extremely important where the focus would be on early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of headache, epilepsy, stroke and dementia, said a senior doctor. According to the doctor, there may be an announcement on opening brain health units in every PHC and district hospital for treatment within four hours of stroke etc.
24/7 model PHCs
While Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar had announced in last year’s budget that 250 model primary health centres will be upgraded with the required equipment, sources said no funds were released for the same. This year, there has been a proposal not just to upgrade PHCs to 24/7 with good human resources, but also release funds to upgrade them.
More ambulances
Introducing new technology-enabled ambulances with telecentres connecting to GPRS, and a doctor or health professional to provide immediate care may be announced. Addition of new ambulances is also expected, besides cardiac and cancer care hospitals in the revenue division. A Jayadeva Hospital with 350 beds is also expected to be announced.
“We have 1,350-bed hospitals in Bengaluru, 400-bed hospitals in Mysuru, 350-bed hospitals in Kalaburagi, and we feel Hubballi can be an ideal place for another 350-bedded hospital.,” Dr Manjunath CN, Director, Jayadeva Hospital, said.
There may be provisions in Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka schemes. However, promised proposals like setting up of two labs to detect hereditary metabolic disorders among neonates is still on paper.