Bengaluru: The Namma clinics aiming to help out thousands of urban poor will be inaugurated on Wednesday, at 11 am in all the districts of Karnataka, said Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar.
Speaking at a press conference in Bangalore, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, “Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai will dedicate the Namma clinics on December 14. In the initial phase, 114 clinics will be launched simultaneously across the state.”
He said that the government is working to operationalise all 438 Namma clinics across the state soon and all the remaining ones will be operational by January 2023.
“A total of 243 Namma clinics will be functioning under the BBMP area, and work is underway to make them functional for public service by the second week of January. At least 150 clinics will surely be available for public service,” Minister Sudhakar said.
He further added that these clinics are targeted at providing primary healthcare services to vulnerable sections of society especially slum dwellers, daily wage workers and other economically weaker sections of society. Minister Sudhakar added that each Namma clinic will cater to a population of 10,000 to 20,000.
“12 types of health services will be available at Namma clinics. Each Namma clinic will consist of a medical officer, a nurse, a lab technician and a Group D employee. The 12 kinds of services include Pregnancy, postnatal, neonatal Care, Childhood and Adolescent care, Universal Immunization Services, Family Welfare, Contraceptive, Infectious Disease Management, Common and Minor Ailment care, Diabetes, Blood Pressure Management, Chronic Diseases, oral ailments etc. Free referrals will also be given to other hospitals for ailments that need tertiary care such as breast and uterine cancer, and eye examination among others,” Minister Sudhakar said.
He said that elderly care, emergency medical services, health check-ups and medicines will be completely free. 14 lab tests, teleconsultation services, and wellness activities will also be available free of cost at Namma clinics.
All the services are available from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 4.30 pm. Health care services will be accessible easily as these clinics are set up in several areas. Minister Sudhakar said, “It is a matter of pride for me that for the first time in history, more than 100 clinics are being inaugurated simultaneously. This will be an all-time record.”
This is a project with a total cost of 150 crore rupees and most of the clinics will start working in government buildings. Already 300 doctors have been appointed and there is a shortage of doctors in a few places. Minister said that alternative arrangements have been made in such places and 80-100 doctors in compulsory rural service will be appointed at such places.
Bagalkot 18, Bellary 11, Vijayanagar 6, Belgaum 21, Bengaluru Rural 9, Bidar 6, Chamarajanagar 3, Chikkaballapur 3, Chikkamagaluru 4, Chitradurga 1, Dakshina Kannada 12, Davangere 1, Dharwad 6, Gadag 11, Hassan 5, Haveri 5, Kalaburgi 11, Kodagu 1, Kolar 3, Koppala 3, Mandya 4, Mysore 6, Raichur 8, Ramanagara 3, Tumakuru 10, Udupi 10, Uttara Kannada 10, Vijayapura 10, Yadgiri 3 and 243 under BBMP limits.
According to a Pune lab report, a 5-year-old girl in Karnataka has tested positive for the Zika virus and has been advised to take precautionary measures. Minister Sudhakar said that this is the first case in the state and the government is monitoring the situation very carefully. “Our department is well prepared to handle it,” Minister Sudhakar said.
