BBMP to start dialysis centres

BANGALORE:  After initiating many new drives, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) now plans to start dialysis centres across the city.Currently, BBMP renders maternity services to 24 hospitals and will extend its service in other specialisations. Speaking to Express, Standing Committee Chairperson for Health, Geetha Shashikumar, said Palike has general physicians and only specialised surgeons as gynaecologists. Further, Geetha said the plan is still in preliminary stage. She continued, “Discussions regarding the start of the project are being held. It may not be possible to set up dialysis units at every BBMP health centre. Such units can be set up only at zonal levels,” she said. When asked about hiring specialists for these centres, she said they are planning to hire specialists on contract basis. However, nothing is finalised in this regard yet, she added. On Wednesday, the Palike trained its doctors to tackle problems related to diabetes. Geetha also said that BBMP plans to introduce units to check problems related to diabetes and hyper tension.Meanwhile, a senior official from Health Department, BBMP, said that Palike is already falling short of staff, including general physicians. Out of 17 sanctioned gynaecologists, only 7 are currently working. Palike has failed to fill vacancies. “We need at least 25 doctors. Instead of introducing new services, the Health committee should plan to recruit more doctors for existing services,” the official said. The official further alleged that in many of the Palike’s health units, scanning machines were not working.At the same time, councillors from Opposition alleged that BBMP hospitals were in pitiful condition. They added that some hospitals were on the verge of closure. “The Palike has proved to be inefficient in providing quality service. They should chalk out methods to improve the existing conditions. We are not against new facilities and welcome the pro-public initiatives. But when Palike is already going through a fund crunch, there is no need to start specialised units. The present Health committee seems to get credit for starting new facility. We are opposing this,” a senior councillor from Congress said.