In order to provide better healthcare services in rural areas in the seven districts of Kalyana Karnataka region, the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board will spend ₹250 crore under the Arogya Avishkara programme, KKRDB Chairman Ajay Singh has said.
Addressing presspersons at the KKRDB office here on Saturday, Dr. Singh said that healthcare services have been severely crippled in the rural areas owing to the shortage of Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Providing the data, he said that Kalaburagi division has the least number of PHCs compared to other divisions in the state.
As per the data, Kalaburagi division has 333 PHCs (one PHC for 30,274 persons); Belagavi division has got 455 PHCs (one PHC for 26,021 persons); Mysuru division has 659 PHCs (one PHC for 14,409 persons) and Bengaluru division has 646 PHCs (one PHC for 17,512 persons).
Dr. Singh said that around 46 new PHCs will be constructed in the region in a phased manner. Of 46 PHCs, the KKRDB will construct 33 PHCs at a cost of ₹4.98 crore each; while remaining 13 PHCs would be established at Vijayanagar and Ballari district with the help of Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC) funds. To upgrade existing Community Health Centres in the region, the KKRDB will also extend financial support of ₹1 crore each for 17 CHCs.
The State government has proposed to establish an Arogya Soudha to house the offices of District Health and Family Welfare Office in the land identified at Jayadeva Hospital complex. The Health Department would allocate ₹18 crore and KKRDB will sanction ₹10 crore for the Arogya Soudha, Dr. Singh added.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women; last year over 3.4 lakh women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in India. Dr. Singh opined that the menstrual hygiene practices may significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer, and the KKRDB would launch an ambitious project for providing menstrual cups for girl students in the region.
Replying to a question, Dr. Singh said that the State government has allocated ₹3,000 crore to KKRDB during 2023-24, and approval has been given to take up works estimated to ₹2,590 crore till February 2024.
Given the urgency in management of cardiac issues in rural areas, the KKRDB would launch ‘Heart Line’ Ambulance services in the region and provide 48 ambulances including – 41 Basic Life Support (BLS) and 7 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance vehicles.
Human Genome Study Centre
The KKRDB has earmarked ₹48 crore for establishing a Human Genome Study and Research Centre at Raichur district. The centre would thoroughly study the prevalence of malnutrition among children and anemia among women in the Kalyana Karnataka region, Dr. Singh said.
