Rs 92 crore earmarked to start 61 primary health centres in Bengaluru

“Rs 32 crore has been earmarked for deploying skilled medical and paramedical staff required in these new dialysis centres and hospitals. Further, an amount of Rs 6 crore has been earmarked for the purchase of medical equipment and Rs 3 crore for the purchase of medicines for all BBMP hospitals,” said Jayaram Raipura, BBMP special commissioner (finance).

The BBMP special commissioner (health) will set up the Bangalore Health System to ensure medical care to all patients through call centres, help desks, free enrolment and free treatment. Rs 2 crore is earmarked for this purpose.

Raipura said Bengaluru had central government-run medical institutions like Nimhans and ESI, state government-run hospitals like Victoria, Bowring and Minto, and BBMP-run referral hospitals. “Owing to the lack of coordination between these hospitals, an average patient often has to rely on expensive private medical institutions for specialised treatment. To overcome this, a Bangalore Health System (BHS) under the leadership of the BBMP’s special health commissioner is proposed to be set up,” he said. “The BHS will also follow up on medical care by maintaining detailed records of all such patients. It will also ensure the prevention of any pandemic diseases and other viral and bacterial diseases.”

Apart from this, Rs 2 crore has been earmarked to treat lifestyle-related diseases. Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the anti-rabies five-in-one vaccine. Two electric crematoriums will be set up at a cost of Rs 5 crore for dogs and other animals.

The BBMP will also launch One Health Plan to prevent zoonotic diseases, which spread from animals to humans. Such diseases will be studied in addition to damage caused to health by environmental pollution.

“A hi-tech Laboratory and Metropolitan Monitoring Centre will be established at a cost of Rs 5 crore. Assistance will be obtained under the CSR programme for the construction and maintenance of this laboratory,” Raipura said.