BANGALORE: The State Government has informed the Karnataka High Court that it has already initiated several steps to improve the facilities for patients and infrastructure in government and autonomous hospitals in Bangalore. It said a Rs. 90-crore master plan to improve the infrastructure in the premier government hospitals — Victoria and Bowring and Lady Curzon — had been proposed. Of the Rs. 90 crore, Victoria Hospital would get Rs. 48 crore and Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital Rs. 42 crore. If implemented, the plan would remedy the inadequacies.

In its action taken report filed before the court, the Director of Medical Education said the Government had decided to increase the bed strength in all hospitals, including Victoria, Vani Vilas and Bowring and Lady Curzon.

The bed strength at Victoria Hospital had been increased from 764 to 926, at Vani Vilas Hospital from 536 to 560 and Bowring Hospital from 686 to 741. It said the bed strength in teaching hospitals had to be increased.

The ATR was filed in response to a report by a committee of experts that made several recommendations to improve the services in government hospitals.

The High Court had set up the committee which had placed its report before the court on November 25, 2005.

The report states that though there is generally no need to increase the bed strength in government and autonomous hospitals in Bangalore, there is a need to establish a super-speciality hospital in the city to cater to the needs of the poor and the downtrodden.

It has spoken of the conditions in Victoria Hospital, K.C. General Hospital, Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, Minto Eye Hospital, Vani Vilas Hospital, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and Kidwai Institute of Oncology.

The court had directed the State Government to examine the report and file its response.

The ATR says it has taken note of the committee recommendations in respect of each hospital and the remedial measures.

On the suggestion that the hospital be charged domestic rates for water and electric consumption, it said a policy decision should be taken on the issue. On filling vacancies, it said senior specialists with master's degree had been absorbed in various departments. Besides, 19 specialists were working on OOD from the Health Department.

Medical superintendents of the hospitals had been authorised to purchase Rs. 50,000 worth of drugs and medicines not supplied by the Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society.

It said there was a proposal for increasing the salary of doctors working in government hospitals. It said for 2006-07, tenders had been floated for procuring medical instruments worth Rs. 8 crore as against purchases of Rs. 4.30 crore made in 2005.

It said a new super speciality multi-storeyed hospital was coming up adjacent to the Institute of Nephro Neurology at Victoria Hospital.

It said a Central team visited Victoria Hospital on July 31 and again on August 1 on upgrading the hospital and other government hospitals on a par with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice K. Ramanna adjourned further hearing on the case.

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