Minister for Health and Family Welfare K. Sudhakar said the State Government intended to strengthen health services in the State on three principles – availability, accessibility and affordability.
He was speaking after laying the foundation stones for the up-gradation of hospitals at Shikaripur in Shivamogga district on Monday.
The government had improved health services in the last two years. As many as 1,750 doctors had been appointed. For the first time, doctors were appointed in the north Karnataka region in large numbers. Under the leadership of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, the department had seen reforms and improvement, the Minister said. People above 30 years should undergo regular health checks every year. If everyone develops such a habit, he or she could avoid serious health problems, he said.
Mr. Yediyurappa, Minister for Urban Development Byrati Basavaraj, Lok Sabha member B.Y. Raghavendra and others were present.
The Minister laid foundation stones to upgrade the hospital at Shikaripur from 100 beds to 250-bed capacity, the community health centre at Shiralakoppa from 30-bed capacity to 50-bed capacity and the maternity hospital at Shikaripur to accommodate 150 beds, in place of 100.
