BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a ‘Rs 320-crore mission’ to eliminate preventable maternal deaths in Karnataka. The health sector received an allocation of Rs 17,201 crore (4% of the total budget allocation).
As part of the mission, obstetric services will be strengthened by equipping hospitals with tools to prevent severe postpartum hemorrhage using digital technology. Nutrition kits, financial incentives, and vatsalya kits will be distributed in backward districts to address anaemia and maternal and child health (MCH) specialists will be deputed to every taluk hospital through the redeployment of posts.
“Maternal mortality cases will be audited by the state technical expert committee, whose recommendations will be submitted to the state empowered committee. programmes to reduce maternal deaths will be formulated based on these directives,” Siddaramaiah said.
The CM announced that his government will be introducing a policy for the prevention and treatment of burn injuries among women, becoming the only state to roll out such a policy. Taking note of the past incidents involving fake drugs, the budget mentioned that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (KSMSCL) will get a new software system to monitor medical equipment.
A Rs 650 crore allocation has been made to renovate taluk hospitals, along with the district hospital in Davanagere and Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru.
Also, Rs 873 crore has been allocated under the Kalyana Karnataka Comprehensive Health Scheme.
Major announcements
Rs 9 cr to provide HPV vax to 14-year-old girls in 20 taluks to prevent cervical cancer
Rs 20 cr to expand Karnataka Brain Health Initiative to all health centres
Gruha Arogya Scheme will be expanded with a Rs 100 crore allocation
Mobile food laboratories to analyse food samples
Rs 50 cr mission-mode programme to control communicable diseases
Command Control Centre managing 108 ambulance services will be brought under the Health Dept
New cashless treatment scheme will cover over 3 lakh contract, outsourced, and honorarium - based government employees and their dependents, providing up to Rs 5 lakh in medical expenses