Government hospitals must prioritise quality healthcare, says Minister U.T. Khader

Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader emphasized on September 12 that government hospitals must prioritize quality healthcare, warning that even small mistakes could undermine public trust in the healthcare system. Speaking at a review meeting in Dharwad, Khader urged doctors and staff to treat their facilities as their own institutions and ensure efficient functioning.

He highlighted the importance of punctuality, cleanliness, and hygiene, urging doctors to lead by example. Hospitals should create a reassuring atmosphere for patients, he added. Khader announced changes to the transfer process for doctors to help spouses serve in the same district and consideration for regularizing doctors who have served on contract for three to five years.

He also suggested regularizing doctors who have rendered good service at the same location. The minister stressed the need for primary health centres to deliver effective first-line treatment and ensure that patients requiring specialized care reach taluk hospitals within 20 to 30 minutes by ambulance. Taluk hospitals should provide major services, including postmortem examinations, and be strengthened with adequate infrastructure.

Most sanctioned posts in the district's health system have been filled, but some centers still face a shortage of MBBS doctors. Orders were issued to fill these vacancies, and steps were taken to address the shortage of dialysis facilities at the taluk hospital. The government plans to expand the district hospital's capacity and construct a new hospital with the required facilities.

Khader warned of severe legal action against fake doctors and ordered DHOs and THOs to take action against negligence in identifying and addressing unqualified practitioners. During a separate meeting of the Minority Welfare Department, Khader announced a 15-day intensive training program for teachers and called for school teams in various sports to nurture students' athletic abilities.