Karnataka Bank has sponsored 50 units of electrocardiography machines (ECG) at a total cost of ₹11.50 lakh to needy gram panchayath centres and sub-centres in Udupi district as part of its CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative.
This initiative is implemented in association with the Mangaluru-based Cardiology at Doorsteps (CAD) Foundation Trust.
The first lot of 10 units of ECG machines were handed over to Padmanabh Kamath, Cardiologist and Managing Trustee of CAD Foundation Trust, by Mahabaleshwara MS, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Karnataka Bank, in Mangaluru on Saturday.
Speaking at the occasion, Mahabaleshwara said that a vast majority of the population below the poverty line are dependent on primary health centres (PHCs) for receiving medical treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. It is important that corporate institutions support the initiatives of the Centre in ramping up the medical infrastructure in the public sector. With this support of Karnataka Bank, Udupi will be the first district to have ECG facility in all its gram panchayath centres. He said Karnataka Bank has reaffirmed its commitment towards achieving the goal of universal health coverage through this initiative.
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Expressing his happiness over the initiative, Padmanabh Kamath said that it is a huge gesture from Karnataka Bank to support the gram panchayath centres and sub-centres covering entire Udupi district.
“With improved diagnostic facilities, I am sure that the rural PHCs will now be able to provide better preventive healthcare services to underserved and less-privileged sections of society,” he said.