New hospitals and speciality units will turn Kalaburagi into medical hub of northern Karnataka: Minister

Kalaburagi district is set to become a major healthcare centre in northern Karnataka with the expansion of the Kidwai Cancer Hospital, a new Mother and Child hospital, and superspeciality hospital units, Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharanprakash Patil has said.

On February 25, addressing mediapersons after inspecting the ongoing construction of the Kidwai Cancer Centre at the GIMS campus, Dr. Patil said the 210-bed extension of the Kidwai Cancer Hospital, costing ₹76 crore, will be completed by August, while the 200-bed mother and child hospital, built at a cost of ₹92 crore, will be ready by October. With the extension added to the existing 90-bed facility, the city’s cancer hospital will have a total capacity of 300 beds, making it a Kidwai Cancer Care regional centre.

He said a 50-bed intensive care unit (ICU), costing ₹22 crore, will be completed by October, while the 30-bed burn and trauma unit, set up at a cost of ₹14.8 crore, will be inaugurated in April or May.

Dr. Patil said that construction of the 150-bed Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital branch, a 50-bed Institute of Diabetology, and a 100-bed NIMHANS branch will commence shortly, with the combined investment exceeding ₹240 crore.

He said skill development initiatives, including a ₹120-crore multi-skill centre, and upgradation of the Kalaburagi ITI are also underway.

Medical college and trauma centre in each district:

The State Government has decided to establish a medical college, cancer hospital, trauma centre, and super-speciality hospital in each district over the next five years, and the projects are being implemented in phases, Dr. Patil reiterated.

“As promised by the Congress government, a medical college and trauma centre has already been set up in Kalaburagi. A super-speciality hospital was recently inaugurated, and an extension of Kidwai cancer centre is now under construction,” Dr. Patil said.

The Minister promised to establish new medical colleges in Kanakapura and Ramanagara by the end of this year. He added that the Cabinet recently approved the construction of a cancer hospital in Ballari at a cost of ₹330 crore.

GIMS Director Dr. Umesh S.R., Medical Superintendent Dr. Shivkumar C.R., and District Surgeon Dr. Asna Rukia Raba were present.