How much funding will the hospitals get in the Chief Minister’s home district from the allocation done in the Budget presented recently for operationalising the super speciality hospital on PKTB campus on KRS Road here which is partially functioning?
If the hospital becomes ready for the purpose for which it was established during the last term of Mr. Siddaramaiah, the services extended from the hi-tech facility – there are plans to give a corporate hospital touch to the unit - will largely benefit poor patients in the region, who cannot afford super speciality care in private hospitals.
In the Budget for the year 2023-24 presented by Mr. Siddaramaiah, a total of ₹155 crore has been allocated to operationalise super speciality hospitals and burn care centres in Mysuru and also in Kalaburagi and Belagavi districts. A sum of ₹30 crore has been allocated to operationalise the trauma care centres in Mysuru and Kalaburagi.
Out of the allocation, how much the CM’s home district will get is the big question even as the authorities of the Mysore Medical College and Research (MMCRI) were awaiting the funds to be released by the government for upgrading the hospitals and prepare them for the full-fledged services, procuring equipment and hiring manpower, particularly doctors and paramedical staff, for operationalising the hospitals within this year.
“We don’t know how much Mysuru hospitals will get out of ₹155 crore sanctioned in the Budget. But, we are hoping that Mysuru will get a sizeable share in the allocation considering the works that are necessary to be done for launching the full-fledged services,” a senior official from MMCRI said.
Once the two hospitals become fully operational, it will further strengthen the public healthcare services in the city besides largely easing the pressure on the KR Hospital, doctors said.
The small stretch of KRS Road where most public healthcare facilities, including the district hospital and Sri Jayadeva Institute are located, will turn into a healthcare hub once other facilities become fully ready to handle patients. The Budget allocation was long awaited since the super speciality hospital and the trauma care centre on PKTB campus had not become fully ready for want of funds and resources. The two facilities, which had become partially operational and were in need of equipment and manpower, were developed during the last term of Mr. Siddaramaiah. The MMCRI had sought upgradation of the facilities at the hospitals.
The MMCRI had also sought funds for upgrading the burns centre located on K.R. Hospital premises. In view of the rise in burn cases, the authorities had proposed to expand the centre and add more facilities for the patients.
The facilities became partially operational recently, with the MMCRI launching the super speciality OPD and other services, shifting other treatment from K.R. Hospital. It was primarily done to ease outpatient load on K.R. Hospital. About 40% of the pressure on K.R. Hospital has been eased with the shifting of the super speciality OPD, inpatient, and surgeries to the new buildings.
