Karnataka medical colleges to adopt taluk hospitals, CHCs and PHCs
Karnataka has asked all government and private medical colleges to adopt a taluk hospital, a community health centre and a primary health centre each to boost specialist care at the grassroots.
Medical colleges across Karnataka, both government and private, will adopt frontline health facilities under a new state initiative aimed at bringing specialist services closer to patients.
The Health and Medical Education departments have issued a joint circular directing every medical college to take charge of one taluk hospital, one community health centre and one primary health centre. The move is part of the Chief Minister's 100-day programme.
Under the arrangement, the adopted facilities will receive specialist medical services, training, quality improvement support and other healthcare assistance from the colleges.
The health centres to be adopted will be identified district-wise. Heads of medical colleges and district health officers will sign agreements setting out the services to be provided.
The departments expect the tie-ups to ease the shortage of specialist doctors at the taluk and community health centre levels. At present, patients often travel to district hospitals or medical colleges for treatment that could be delivered locally.
Officials said the partnership would also strengthen care for chronic diseases and surgical services at the secondary-care level, improving both the quality and availability of treatment near where people live.