From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 1: Karnataka’s deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara and social welfare minister Priyank Kharge launched 16 mobile health units at a total cost of Rs 8 crore to cater to the health needs of the forest-based tribal people belonging to Jenu Kurubas, Koragas and other forest-based tribes residing in different districts on Wednesday, August 1.
The mobile health units are being developed by the Social Welfare department, as part of the drive to take healthcare to doorsteps of downtrodden people.
Dr Parameshwara, who also holds the Home and Bengaluru Development portfolios, appreciated the gesture of the Social Welfare Department.
He said, “The initiative of providing healthcare to the doorsteps of tribal communities - who normally reside in forest and other areas and are deprived of urgent medical assistance - shows the commitment of the government towards the neglected and poorer sections of society.”
Kharge said that each mobile health unit will comprise of doctors, nurses, pharmacist, laboratory technician, junior health assistant and a driver.
The mobile health unit would be equipped with essential medicines and treatment facilities. Doctors would examine the patient, provide diagnosis and essential medicines, as well as provide health awareness, he said.
The minister said the department would launch 8 mobile units in the first phase in Somawarpet, Virajpet and Madikeri taluks of Kodagu district, Piriyapatna, Heggadedevanokote, and Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district, and Kollegal, Yellandur, and Gundlupet taluks of Chamarajanagar district.
“Each mobile health unit will visit two villages during the day,” the minister said.
“Highly trained and courteous professionals will examine the patients at the doorsteps of the tribal people like Jenu Kurubas, Koragas and other forest-based tribes. The patients requiring specialized treatment will be referred to the nearest hospitals,” he explained.
In the second phase, eight more units would be provided in the Bantwal and Puttur taluks of coastal Dakshina Kannada district, Kundapur and Udupi taluks of Udupidistrict, Shikaripur taluk of Shivamogga district and Haliyal taluk of Uttara Kannada district.
Each mobile unit would cost Rs 50 lac. The mobile health units would be equipped with GPS and Digital Patient Record System, and would enable expanding the network of public health across the state.