Udupi: Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna met Health Minister U T Khader and submitted a memorandum seeking the early inauguration of the newly constructed Udupi District Hospital and the upgradation of the Brahmavar Community Health Centre into a taluk hospital.
Yashpal Suvarna also raised several other healthcare-related demands, including adequate funding for the Kusuma Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Mother and Child Hospital and measures concerning the proposed B R Shetty Hi-Tech Super Specialty Hospital.
Early commissioning of district hospital sought
The construction of the Udupi District Hospital, a long-standing demand of people in the district, began in December 2021 and is now nearing completion.
Suvarna urged the Health Minister to ensure that the remaining works are completed at the earliest and that the hospital is provided with the required facilities, treatment services and adequate staff before it is opened to the public.
He specifically sought the early commissioning of the 250-bed district hospital with comprehensive healthcare facilities so that people from across Udupi district can access specialised and essential medical services locally.
The MLA stressed the need to ensure that the hospital is fully equipped and adequately staffed rather than opening the facility without the necessary infrastructure and services.
Brahmavar CHC sought to be upgraded
Suvarna also highlighted the healthcare requirements of Brahmavar.
He pointed out that Brahmavar has been a taluk headquarters for nearly eight years and has witnessed rapid development during this period.
The Community Health Centre in Brahmavar currently caters to people from more than 30 villages, according to the memorandum.
Considering the growing population and healthcare needs of the surrounding areas, Suvarna urged the government to upgrade the existing Community Health Centre into a taluk hospital.
He said the proposed upgrade would enable residents to access more comprehensive and quality healthcare services locally, reducing the need to travel to Udupi or other locations for treatment.
Financial support for mother and child hospital
The MLA also requested adequate financial assistance for the proper maintenance and functioning of the Kusuma Shambhu Shetty Memorial Haji Abdullah Mother and Child Hospital.
He sought government support to ensure that the hospital can continue providing healthcare services effectively and maintain the required infrastructure and facilities.
Demand for action on proposed super speciality hospital
Suvarna further urged the Health Minister to take special measures regarding the proposed B R Shetty Hi-Tech Super Specialty Hospital, which is planned under the public-private partnership (PPP) model in front of the Kusuma Shambhu Shetty Mother and Child Hospital.
He also sought appropriate utilisation of the excavated area created for the proposed hospital’s parking facility.
According to the memorandum, the area could be utilised for vehicle parking and for establishing a government nursing and paramedical college.
Suvarna said such facilities would help strengthen the healthcare infrastructure and create additional opportunities for nursing and paramedical education in the region.
Minister assures action
Responding to the memorandum, Health Minister U T Khader assured Suvarna that necessary action would be taken on the demands raised.
The MLA’s meeting with the minister comes as several healthcare infrastructure projects in Udupi district are at different stages of completion and implementation. The demands focus on expanding hospital capacity, improving access to healthcare in Brahmavar and strengthening supporting medical and paramedical infrastructure in the district.