Mangaluru: The Community Health Centre at Vittal in Bantwal taluk, under the Puttur assembly constituency, has entered into a tie-up with Yenepoya Medical College, Mangaluru, to provide improved healthcare services. An order regarding this has been issued by the department of health and family welfare, said Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai.The MLA said the tie-up will help address the shortage of healthcare services at the centre. The Vittal Community Health Centre was facing a shortage of doctors as well as supporting staff. The MLA earlier submitted a request to health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and also raised the issue during the assembly session, urging the govt to address the shortfall.He pointed out that due to the lack of doctors and staff in govt hospitals and community health centres, it has been difficult to provide adequate services to the public, and requested the govt to make necessary appointments. Following this, the health department issued an order to link the Vittal Community Health Centre with Yenepoya Medical College.“This is an excellent decision. It will help address the shortage of doctors at the Community Health Centre and ensure better healthcare services for the public. Along with Vittal, tie-ups have also been made for Belthangady Taluk Hospital, Moodubidire Community Health Centre, and Bantwal Taluk Hospital with Alva’s and AJ Medical Colleges,” added Rai. DYFI opposes MoU with pvt hospsThe Dakshina Kannada district committee of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has opposed the state govt’s decision to enter into agreements with private hospitals in the interest of providing better healthcare services to the public. The organisation alleged that the move is aimed at weakening govt hospitals and benefiting private healthcare players. DYFI urged the health department to cancel these agreements and take steps to strengthen govt hospitals. BK Imtiyaz, president, and Santosh Bajal, secretary, DYFI Dakshina Kannada District Committee, said despite repeated appeals to free govt hospitals from private control and develop them, the govt instead moved towards similar decisions again, which is anti-people. It cannot accept the approval given by the govt to hand over Belthangady Taluk Hospital and Moodubidire Health Centre to Alva’s Health Centre, Bantwal Taluk Hospital to AJ Medical College, and Vittal Community Health Centre to Yenepoya Medical College. DYFI called upon the people of the district to unanimously condemn the health and family welfare department’s decision and stage protests.Meanwhile, Muneer Katipalla, convenor of Save Govt Hospitals Horatha Samithi, condemned the move at a time when demands are growing stronger to strengthen govt hospitals.
