Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Udupi, Nov 3: Availability of quality healthcare is one of the most important features that has given a a place of distinction to coastal Karnataka region. The latest project in line is the proposed construction of a state-of--the-art hospital at KM Marg in Udupi, in place of the existing government hospital.

The revolutionary path and game changer in public health care services has been proposed by Padmashri awardee Dr B R Shetty, founder chairman and CEO, NMC Healthcare, Abu Dhabi, and chairman, BRS Health & Research Institute Pvt Ltd.

The existing government mother and child hospital in Udupi was constructed more than 90 years ago on a piece of land at KM Marg, donated by the great philanthropist of Udupi, the late Haji Abdullah Saheb in the year 1925. Presently, the said hospital has 70 beds and is operating in a dilapidated and unhygienic condition. Add to that, the number of poor patients is increasing day by day as Udupi has seen many folds increase in local and immigrant population. The present hospital has become largely inefficient and insufficient to serve the poor people. In addition, there are no facilities available to treat emergency or critical patients.

Dr B R Shetty, a native of Udupi, successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, who established his healthcare and other business empire in the UAE, was the vice-chairman of Udupi municipality in early 70s. During his stint at Udupi municipality, Dr Shetty contributed a lot for the development of the district.

After migrating to Abu Dhabi, together with many other business ventures he started hospital and healthcare services which have today become an icon in healthcare both in the UAE and across the region. One of the critical success factors in the UAE healthcare sector is the provision of quality healthcare at affordable price which has benefitted both citizens and the poorest of the poor segments of the society. With his vast experience of more than 40 years in healthcare, Dr Shetty also expressed his keen interest to replicate this successful 'affordable healthcare for all' model in his home state.

While driving through KM Marg during one of his visits to his hometown of Udupi, he was saddened to see the dilapidated condition of the mother and child government hospital. He wanted to rebuild this hospital to serve the needy patients of his hometown, and accordingly, he approached successive governments in the state but none responded positively for the past several years.

Finally, the present health and family welfare minister in the government of Karnataka, Ramesh Kumar accepted and appreciated his vision with great interest and called him for a meeting. Dr Shetty flew down to Bengaluru within a week on a short notice and discussed in length with the minister and his entire team, gave a presentation to the government authorities which was accepted by everyone and appreciated.

The minister took the proposal to the chief minister, who accepted this novel idea and instructed the department concerned to study the proposal and implement it at the earliest.

Accordingly, Dr B R Shetty submitted his detailed project report on this novel project, reportedly a first-of-its-kind in India.

As per the project report, Dr Shetty will take over the existing government mother and child hospital on KM Marg, Udupi, rebuild the entire hospital by increasing the bed capacity by three times to 200 beds, equip the hospital with the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies, provide all medical and paramedical staff, provide staff quarters and medical service to the poor patients of Udupi district as per the norms of the government of Karnataka's health and family welfare department.

Thus, foundation was laid for the new project, aptly named Koosamma Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Mother and Child Hospital, on October 30 by the chief minister. This hospital, dedicated for the service of the poorest of the poor, shall be operational within the next 8-10 months.

The management of the hospital will be supervised by a committee comprising of the government of Karnataka's director of medical services, DC of Udupi district, district surgeon and representatives from Dr B R Shetty's team. A periodical inspection report will be sent to the government for its scrutiny.

Super-specialty hospital

In the adjoining site, Dr Shetty has proposed to build a 350-400 bed capacity world class, state-of-the-art super-specialty hospital to provide best of the medical service to the general public. Treatment in this super-specialty hospital shall be chargeable to the affluent patients who can afford to pay ethically charged fee to the best of medical services in the region. This hospital will be operational within a year-and-a-half from the date of shifting the patients from the present hospital to the newly-built hospital premises in the adjoining site.

This super-specialty hospital shall also treat critical patients in the mother and child hospital who are in need of super-specialty services as per the norms of the government of Karnataka’s department of health and family welfare department.

On the west side of KM Marg, a community service centre shall be set up on the third site and will be operational soon after the inauguration of the super-specialty hospital.

Land in all the three sites has been granted to Dr Shetty on lease for a fixed lease amount and term (which is mutually renewable) as per the terms and conditions of the government of Karnataka.

At the end of the lease period, both hospitals will be handed over to the government without accepting any compensation or remuneration to Dr B R Shetty, states a press release, adding that this noble and novel initiative in Udupi, shall be the first PPP model of its kind in the healthcare sector in India.