Belagavi: The Government of Karnataka is mulling over merging the Health Ministry and the Medical Education Ministry for improved coordination and functioning, informed Karnataka Minister for Health and Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar on Saturday.
He was speaking after inaugurating various development works at the Belagavi Institute of Medical Science (BIMS), when he stated that the final call on the merging of the two ministries will be taken by the government.
Speaking about the Covid-19 situation in the state, Minister Sudhakar said that the government has learned that it needs to improve the health facilities. He then informed that the government is establishing an oxygen production unit in all medical colleges across Karnataka to this end.
“We witnessed an acute shortage of oxygen during the pandemic. To avoid a recurrence of these issues in the future, we are setting up oxygen units in medical colleges,” Dr Sudhakar said.
He also added that primary health centres will be made to function around the clock for patients and that the number of PHCs in the state will be increased, based on the population. Ambulance services will also be enhanced, he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Sudhakar said that a 350-bed hospital, which was built in the city recently, will soon be inaugurated.