Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Sept 21: In a major boost to public healthcare in coastal Karnataka, a fully equipped Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab) and a 24-bed dialysis ward were inaugurated on Sunday at Wenlock District Hospital, Mangaluru, by District In-Charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Hailing the development as a landmark moment for government hospitals in the state, the minister said the new Cath Lab would bring life-saving cardiac procedures within reach for the poor and middle class, drastically reducing dependency on expensive private hospitals.
“This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in any government hospital in Karnataka. Costly heart procedures like angioplasty and angiogram will now be available to the public at subsidised rates. For BPL cardholders, treatment will be entirely free. Built at a cost of ?5 crore with support from KMC, the government will take responsibility for medicines and operational costs,” he told reporters after the inauguration.
The Cath Lab is located on the ground floor of Wenlock’s newly constructed Emergency Care Block and will be operated by specialist doctors and trained medical teams deputed from KMC Hospital to ensure quality care.
Simultaneously, a new dialysis ward with 24 beds was inaugurated on the fourth floor of the same building, replacing the older dialysis facility previously located in another section of the hospital.
According to the minister, each bed in the dialysis unit can accommodate up to four patients daily, with most patients typically requiring dialysis twice a week. At present, nine dialysis centres are operational across Dakshina Kannada district, and a total of 94 dialysis machines are in use.
He said the government would approach corporate sponsors such as MRPL and KIOCL to provide additional machines whenever the need arises.
The minister emphasised that these initiatives represent the government’s commitment to delivering modern medical care to all citizens, particularly the economically disadvantaged.
He also spoke about the earlier pilot programme for peritoneal dialysis, which was introduced in Dakshina Kannada for patients suffering from kidney failure who are unable to make frequent visits to the hospital. Although the initiative was temporarily suspended, Gundu Rao confirmed that it will be resumed.
“Instructions have been issued to provide peritoneal dialysis to 10 patients per district, prioritising children and immobile patients. This initiative will be revived statewide,” he said.
Responding to a media query, the minister acknowledged that nursing students at Wenlock Hospital have not received their stipends for the past four years. “I was made aware of this issue today. It relates to the Department of Medical Education and is pending with the Finance Department. I will personally bring this to the attention of Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil on Monday,” he assured.
He added that the infrastructure, including the Emergency Block, was developed with assistance from private entities such as MRPL and KIOCL, highlighting the effectiveness of public-private partnerships in strengthening government healthcare institutions. “These facilities symbolise our commitment to providing quality, affordable, and modern treatment to the public through government institutions,” Gundu Rao stated.
Several dignitaries were present at the event, including MLC Ivan D’Souza, Mamatha Gatti, chairperson of the Cashewnut Development Corporation, Sadashiva Ullal, chairman of MUDA, Dr Thimmaiah, district health officer, Dr Shivaprakash, superintendent of Wenlock Hospital, and Dr Unnikrishnan, dean of KMC Hospital.