Mangaluru: Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader has announced that the state government is preparing to ban burgers, pizzas and other unhealthy food items in school and college canteens as well as government hospital canteens. The proposed move is aimed at encouraging healthier eating habits and reducing the growing burden of lifestyle-related diseases across the state.
Speaking during a review meeting on the functioning and future development of Government Wenlock Hospital at the Regional Advanced Paediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) in Mangaluru on Saturday, Khader said poor dietary habits have emerged as one of the leading causes of non-communicable diseases such as kidney disorders, diabetes, heart ailments and cancer. He stressed that promoting nutritious food at educational institutions and healthcare facilities would play a significant role in improving public health.
Healthy food to replace junk food
Khader said school and college canteens should provide wholesome and nutritious meals instead of fast food items that offer little nutritional value. He emphasised that educational institutions have a responsibility to encourage healthy eating habits among students from a young age.
The minister also said canteens operating in government hospitals would be instructed to serve affordable, hygienic and nutritious food for patients, their attendants, doctors and hospital staff. According to him, hospital canteens should support recovery and well-being rather than promote unhealthy eating practices.
He expressed confidence that Government Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru could become a model for healthy hospital canteens across Karnataka by adopting quality food standards and nutritious menus.
Food safety enforcement to be strengthened
Khader announced that the state government plans to significantly strengthen food safety enforcement by upgrading Karnataka’s food testing laboratory in Bengaluru into a world-class facility.
The upgraded laboratory will be equipped with advanced technology to detect food quality violations more efficiently and ensure stricter monitoring of food products available in the market.
The minister warned that manufacturers found compromising food quality would face stringent legal action irrespective of the size, influence or reputation of their companies. He said ensuring safe and quality food remains one of the government’s top priorities in protecting public health.
Inspection of Wenlock Hospital
After the review meeting, Khader visited several departments of Government Wenlock Hospital, including the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the children’s ward.
During the inspection, he interacted with patients, their family members, doctors, nurses and hospital staff. He enquired about the quality of treatment, availability of medicines, hospital infrastructure and patient facilities. The minister assured everyone that the government would continue strengthening healthcare infrastructure while addressing deficiencies wherever necessary to improve patient care.
Focus on discipline and teamwork
Reviewing the hospital’s overall functioning, Khader stressed that government hospitals must maintain high standards of discipline, teamwork and public service.
He urged doctors, administrators and hospital staff to work in close coordination, avoid internal differences and ensure punctuality in their daily responsibilities. According to the minister, efficient teamwork and professional conduct are essential to maintaining the reputation of government healthcare institutions while delivering quality services to patients.
Plans to improve healthcare infrastructure
Khader highlighted that the 1,000-bed Government Wenlock Hospital serves nearly 3.5 lakh outpatients annually, with around 1,000 patients visiting the outpatient department (OPD) every day.
While appreciating the hospital’s large number of successful surgical procedures, he said there is considerable scope to further strengthen super-speciality services, critical care facilities and medical infrastructure.
The review meeting also discussed expanding transplant services, increasing specialised ICU facilities and improving operational efficiency across departments to meet the growing healthcare needs of the region.
Addressing staff shortage
The minister acknowledged the shortage of nursing staff at government hospitals and said the state government would examine measures to improve staff retention.
He noted that retaining experienced nurses is essential for ensuring continuity in patient care and maintaining the quality of healthcare services. The government would explore suitable policy interventions to address workforce challenges in the health sector.
Changes likely in doctors’ transfer policy
Khader said the government is also considering amendments to the existing counselling policy governing the transfer of government doctors.
The proposed changes aim to address practical concerns, including spouse postings and transfer requests involving differently abled employees, while ensuring that healthcare services remain uninterrupted across Karnataka.
He further instructed officials to introduce greater transparency in accounting for hospital diagnostic services by reflecting actual operational expenditure instead of estimated market values.
Senior officials attend review meeting
Several senior officials participated in the review meeting, including MLC Ivan D’Souza, Deputy Commissioner Darshan H V, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Vinayak Karbari, District Health Officer Dr Thimmayya, Government Wenlock Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Shivaprakash and other health department officials.
The discussions focused on strengthening healthcare delivery, improving infrastructure, enhancing food safety standards and promoting healthier lifestyles among the public. With the proposed restrictions on junk food in educational institutions and government hospitals, Karnataka aims to take a proactive step towards preventing lifestyle diseases while creating healthier food environments across public institutions.