Karnataka Government plans to establish a medical college in each district of the State to ensure seats for meritorious students at subsidised rates and also offer quality healthcare facility.
Medical Education Minister Sharanaprakash R. Patil, who held a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Higher Education and Tourism R.V. Deshpande, told reporters that several districts do not have government-run medical colleges and the private ones charge exorbitant rates for admission to both MBBS and post-graduate courses.
In the 12th Five-Year Plan, the Central Government too had planned to support states to set up medical colleges in backward areas.
The proposed scheme envisages creation of more MBBS seats.
It would also improve the availability of doctors in the State.
Shortage of doctors
In addition, the department would take steps to address the problem of shortage of doctors in rural healthcare facilities by making rural service mandatory for MBBS graduates and post-graduates in medicine.
Patil, himself a doctor by profession, has decided to bring in reforms in the department to ensure quality care to all patients visiting government-run hospitals.
Steps would be taken to address issues related to shortage of doctors in government hospitals, health centres and infrastructure, the Minister added.