Belagavi: Health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has laid the foundation stone for a new 50-bed Critical Care Unit (CCU) at the Taluk Government Hospital in Bailhongal. The programme was jointly organised by Belagavi district administration, the ZP and the health department on Monday.Addressing the gathering at a programme, the minister said the Bailhongal facility is among the best-managed taluk hospitals in the state. He noted that if similar standards are maintained across all taluk hospitals, most patient grievances could be effectively addressed.Rao said that the state govt has sanctioned nearly Rs 300 crore for various health projects in Belagavi district, and is committed to enhancing medical infrastructure across Karnataka. He highlighted that ongoing initiatives such as the Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti scheme, Tele-ICU services and the Home Health Care programme as key steps toward expanding access to quality treatment.Calling the new CCU crucial for Bailhongal taluk, Rao said the hospital handles around 200 deliveries every month, and has received no major public complaints. Responding to a request from the local MLA, he also announced an additional Rs 2 crore for constructing a compound wall around the hospital.Bailhongal MLA Mahantesh Koujalagi said Rs 23 crore had been released for the CCU project. Daily outpatient registrations had risen from about 110 a day seven years ago to more than 800 now. He also sought increased funds for the compound wall and additional fuel allocation for ambulances due to the taluk’s wide coverage area.
