BENGALURU: The medical education department has sought six new medical colleges in the state among other new infrastructure as part of its proposal to the state government ahead of the budget. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has begun consultations with various departments in connection with the budget to be presented on March 5.
Deputy CM and medical education Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said the department has prepared a proposal amounting to Rs 300 crore for investment in medical infrastructure and the upgrading of facilities which would made government hospitals eligible for accreditation by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NACL).
Although Ashwath Narayan said that six medical colleges have been proposed, he declined to give details while speaking to the media on Friday after a meeting with officials of the directorate of medical education and principal secretary of health, Jawaid Akhtar. Improvement of infrastructure at government hospitals was also part of the proposal, he said.
"KC General Hospital (in Bengaluru) will be upgraded to a super speciality hospital at a cost of Rs 150 crore, as there is no super speciality hospital to cater to North and West Bengaluru at present," Ashwath Narayan said.
The government also planned to set up four geriatric centres at Bangalore Medical College, Mysore Medical College, Vijayanagar Medical College, and the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (Hubballi), owing to the increase in the longevity of life.
Five cancer care centres are also proposed in the same colleges at a cost of Rs 40 crore. "Another cancer care centre would come up in Shivamogga with an investment of Rs 50 crore," the minister said.
A simulation lab along the lines of the one at Bangalore Medical College is proposed to be set up in all medical colleges at a cost of Rs 5 crore. The government also planned to create five model primary health centres at a cost of Rs 2 crore each in Shikaripur, Magadi, Raichur, Molakalmuru and Yadgir.