CM opens chemotherapy centres in 16 districts
Mysuru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah reaffirmed the govt's commitment to quality public healthcare by highlighting the presence of highly skilled and experienced doctors in govt hospitals.
Speaking after launching the state-of-the-art chemotherapy centres in 16 districts, including Mysuru, he said one of the cancer patients who came for chemotherapy noted that the Rs 2,000 given to the head of the family is helping them get chemo treatment.
Siddaramaiah emphasised that advanced and accessible cancer treatment is now a reality in Karnataka. The new centre in Mysuru, opened at Metagalli District Hospital, is equipped with 20 beds (10 each for men and women) and is part of a broader initiative to establish chemotherapy units in 16 district hospitals across the state.
Each of the remaining centres will have a 10-bed capacity.
"Annually, over 70,000 people in Karnataka are diagnosed with cancer. Until now, they had no choice but to travel to Bengaluru for treatment. With the new district-level centres, we aim to provide care closer to home," said Siddaramaiah.
Health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao highlighted the financial struggles many cancer patients face, stressing the importance of decentralising services.
He also announced plans for a future branch of Kidwai Hospital in Mysuru.
National Health Mission director Naveen Bhat called the initiative a "milestone in decentralised cancer care", and confirmed a partnership with Kidwai Hospital to strengthen the quality of treatment.
Mysuru district H C Mahadevappa, MLCs D Thimmaiah, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Exhibition Authority chairman Ayub Khan, DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy, Zilla Panchayat CEO S Ukesh Kumar, and city police commissioner Seema Latkar were present.
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