Bengaluru: Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharanprakash Patil has unveiled a comprehensive plan to establish tertiary-level super-speciality hospital in all five divisions of the State.
The primary objective of this initiative is to ensure that specialised healthcare services are accessible to individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds at affordable or even free-of-cost.
During his recent visit to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Minister Patil reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to delivering high-quality healthcare that is affordable for all. Currently, Bengaluru is home to a tertiary-level super-speciality hospital, backed by the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
Minister Patil announced plans to replicate this success by constructing similar hospitals in prominent cities such as Mysuru, Hubballi, Kalaburagi and Ballari within their respective divisions under the jurisdiction of the Medical Education Department.
Additionally, the Government aims to establish cardiac and trauma care centres in Government Hospitals across all divisional headquarters.
This strategic move seeks to bring critical healthcare services closer to economically disadvantaged populations.
However, given the State Government’s existing financial commitments and the implementation of poll freebies, Minister Patil expressed some reservations about the feasibility of opening new Government Medical Colleges in the remaining eight districts over the next five years.
He pointed out that during their previous tenure, the Government’s objective was to establish a Medical College in each district, resulting in the current count of 22 Government Medical Colleges throughout the State.
The primary motivation behind this initiative was to expand medical education opportunities for underprivileged individuals and increase the availability of Government-sponsored medical seats with minimal fees, as opposed to the higher fees charged by private colleges.
Minister Patil emphasised the necessity of engaging in discussions with the Chief Minister to assess the viability of establishing additional Government Medical Colleges at this time.
Furthermore, the establishment of Government Medical Colleges at district headquarters would inherently enhance the quality of healthcare services in affiliated Government Hospitals. This would ensure that specialists from various Departments are readily available to provide free treatment to the economically disadvantaged population, he added.
India and Mysore have opened up a plethora of medical colleges, where only those who can shell out a lot of money as entry fee can enter, pass exams through bribes, get their medical degrees and postgraduate degrees. Others use the reservation quota, not their merit to enter medical colleges and become doctors. They simply churn out thousands of them every year.
A majority of the above apply to hospitals in Western countries, where only a few of them pass the tough entrance tests, and the rest stay as illegal immigrants. UK, Australia and US are grappling with what to do with these failed doctors, who do not want to go back to India.
With all these superspeciality hospitals in Mysore, Javeed Nayeem, who claimed them as world class, himself, secretly travelled to England a few months ago, stayed for a month to complete his medical check ups and tratment. those who can afford or raise loans go to Singapore to get treatment there are doing somin increasing numbers.
This minister should give this plan up, as Singapore Airlines are planning one-stop flights every week from Mysore to Singapore, when the Mysore airport is able to receive the A320/Boeing 737 medium -haul passenger jets, to get those patients who failed to get proper diagnosis in Mysore, a large number of them to Singapore hospitals.