Karnataka Embarks on 3-Year Mission to Transform Healthcare Access Across All Districts

By siliconindia  |  Friday, 27 June 2025, 06:29:34 PM IST

Karnataka Embarks on 3-Year Mission to Transform Healthcare Access Across All Districts
  • Karnataka is implementing a 3-year plan to establish super-speciality hospitals, trauma centres, and cancer care facilities in all 31 districts to decentralize advanced medical services.
  • With a Rs 17,473 crore allocation for healthcare and Rs 1,182 crore earmarked for hospital infrastructure, the plan includes Critical Care Blocks and district-level chemo centres.
  • A hub-and-spoke model will connect taluk hospitals with urban super-speciality centres, reducing travel time, improving early diagnosis, and easing the load on city hospitals.
In a bold and ambitious move, the Karnataka government has unveiled a comprehensive three-year roadmap aimed at drastically improving healthcare infrastructure across the state. The mission focuses on decentralizing advanced medical care by setting up super-speciality hospitals, trauma centres, and cancer care facilities in all 31 districts, ensuring timely access to critical services for both urban and rural populations.
This initiative follows the state’s budget for 2025–26, which allocated Rs 17,473 crore to the healthcare sector marking 4 percent of the total budget. As a precursor, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier announced the Kalyana Karnataka Comprehensive Health Scheme with an allocation of Rs 873 crore, signaling a targeted approach to strengthen medical services in underserved regions.
With a clear vision of upgrading health infrastructure, the state has already committed Rs 1,182 crore towards building modern hospital facilities across districts. These include 50-bed Critical Care Blocks in each district and a 100-bed emergency care facility in Bengaluru, designed to respond effectively to trauma and life-threatening conditions.
Currently, Karnataka’s leading government-run institutions include the 1,150-bed Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, which operates branches in Mysuru, Kalaburagi, and Bengaluru. The Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, with 870 beds, stands as the state’s central cancer treatment hub, while trauma care is supported by the 240-bed Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics.
To extend these specialized services closer to communities, the government has launched 16 district-level chemotherapy centres, with a full-scale rollout across all districts expected by mid-2026. The move is part of a broader hub-and-spoke model designed to link taluk-level health centers to super-speciality urban hospitals, thereby reducing the burden on city-based facilities and cutting travel time and costs for rural patients.
Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil emphasized the government’s commitment to reshaping the healthcare delivery system. “We are determined to provide easy and affordable access to advanced medical treatment for all citizens. Our three-year roadmap focuses on building super-speciality hospitals, trauma centres, cancer and cardiac care units in every district”, he said.
As part of the rollout, new Jayadeva cardiac hospitals are already operational in Kalaburagi and Mysuru. A 400-bed facility is also set to open in Hubballi next year, with construction currently underway. In addition to infrastructure, reforms are being implemented within the Department of Medical Education to enhance training, recruitment, and service quality.
The government's investment in strengthening diagnostics, critical care, and emergency response systems at the grassroots level is a significant step toward equitable healthcare. By bridging regional gaps and expanding access, Karnataka is laying the foundation for a more resilient and inclusive health system.

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