Karnataka provides comprehensive healthcare and services to the people of the state. The state government has given much priority to the health sector over the years. It took effective measures to improve the health and well-being of the citizens of Karnataka.
The state government implemented several rural health programmes to ensure better healthcare of the population living in the rural areas.
According to the available data, Karnataka has a network of more than:
- 2,346 Primary Health Centres
- 326 Community Health Centres
- 8,871 Sub-centres
There are 176 Government hospitals in the state that provide free treatment to the people.
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Bangalore Medical College
Karnataka health policy goals
Karnataka’s healthcare objectives include providing access to good healthcare and developing the health sector. The state endeavours to provide quality health uniformly to its population.
Karnataka’s health policy goals include to:
- Provide integrated and comprehensive primary healthcare
- Establish a credible and sustainable referral system
- Ensure equity in delivery of quality healthcare
- Encourage greater public private partnership in provision of quality healthcare in order to better serve the underserved areas
- Address emerging issues in public health
- Strengthen health infrastructure
- Develop health human resources
- Improve access to safe and quality drugs at affordable prices
- Increase access to systems of alternative medicine
Health indicators of Karnataka
Karnataka’s health indicators are in the middle range in comparison with the other 28 Indian states.
Health infrastructure in Karnataka
Karnataka follows a three tier rural public health infrastructure– primary, secondary and tertiary. At the primary level of health system the state has Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres. At the secondary level there are the District Hospitals. At the tertiary level the health system in Karnataka has medical colleges and speciality hospitals.
Primary healthcare centres in Karnataka
Karnataka has always been a progressive state in terms of healthcare facilities. It has a wide established network that provides healthcare in urban and rural areas. Karnataka was working towards starting several primary healthcare centres in the state even before the Government of India had conceptualized about primary healthcare centres.
The aim of establishing primary health centres was to provide preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare to the rural population. Each primary healthcare centre is managed by a medical officer who is supported by para-medical and other staff. The primary healthcare centres are the first contact point between the rural population and the medical officers.
Sub-centres for healthcare in Karnataka
The sub-centre is a peripheral unit of the healthcare system in Karnataka. It is the first contact point between the primary healthcare system and the rural population. There is one female health worker/ auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) and one male health worker in every sub-centre.
The sub-centres perform tasks linked to components of primary healthcare. They are required to carry out tasks related to interpersonal communication in areas like maternal and child health, immunization, nutrition, family welfare, diarrhoea control and control of communicable diseases. Sub-centres are equipped with basic drugs needed for treating minor illnesses of general public.
Community health centres in Karnataka
The community health centres in Karnataka provide referral as well as specialist healthcare to the rural population. The community health centres act as Block level health administrative units as well as points for referrals to advanced level of medical facilities.
Each community health centre is managed by medical specialists like surgeon, physician, gynaecologist and paediatrician. These specialists are supported by paramedical and other staff. The community health centres are hospitals that are equipped with OT, X-ray, labour room and laboratory facilities. These centres are also equipped with facilities for obstetric care and specialist consultations.
| Health Indicators | Figures |
|---|---|
| Population (as per Census 2011) (in crores) | 6.11 |
| Infant Mortality Rate (as per SRS of 2013) | 31 |
| Maternal Mortality Rate (as per SRS of 2010-2012) | 144 |
| Fertility Rate (as per SRS of 2012) | 1.9 |
| Crude Birth Rate (as per SRS of 2013) | 18.3 |
| Crude Death Rate (as per SRS of 2013) | 7 |
| Natural Growth Rate (as per SRS of 2013) | 11.3 |
Healthcare challenges for Karnataka Govt.
Karnataka has achieved much in the healthcare sector over the past decades. But access and equity in healthcare still remain a challenge for the Karnataka government. The state faces issues of uneven access to quality public health facilities by the rural population. There is poor utilization of the primary healthcare system in certain rural areas of the state. If the state government manages to overcome the healthcare challenges existing in the state, Karnataka can be one of the top states in the country to provide uniform healthcare to its people.