Siddaramaiah Announces Super Specialty Hospital for Uttara Kannada in Upcoming Budget

Karwar : The long-pending demand for a super multi specialty hospital in Uttara Kannada district has finally been accepted, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announcing that a super specialty hospital will be sanctioned for Karwar in the upcoming State Budget.

The announcement has brought relief to residents of Uttara Kannada, who have for years sought advanced medical facilities within the district. In cases of serious accidents or critical illnesses, patients often had to travel to Hubballi due to the lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure locally.

The Chief Minister made the announcement while inaugurating a newly constructed 450-bed multi specialty hospital in Karwar on Saturday. The facility has been built at a cost of ₹200 crore.

Responding to a request by local MLA Satish Sail, Siddaramaiah gave an official assurance that the super specialty hospital would be included in the next State Budget. “Based on the request of MLA Satish Sail, I will sanction a super specialty hospital for Karwar in the forthcoming budget. I will personally come to inaugurate it,” he said.

The Chief Minister turned emotional while speaking about the importance of strengthening public healthcare. “The rich can afford treatment in private hospitals, but for the poor, government hospitals are the only option. Our government is committed to strengthening the public health system,” he stated.

Recalling earlier initiatives, Siddaramaiah said that a medical college had been inaugurated in Karwar in 2016 and that the new 450-bed hospital was another step toward improving healthcare access in the coastal district.

He also responded to criticism from the BJP, which has alleged that the State government lacks funds due to its guarantee schemes. “If there was no money in the government, how could we build a ₹200 crore hospital and bridges? We are taking forward both guarantee schemes and development simultaneously,” he said.

Earlier, MLA Satish Sail issued a strong statement, saying he expected the super specialty hospital to be announced in the budget. “If the super specialty hospital is not sanctioned, I will resign from my MLA post,” Sail declared in the presence of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.

The announcement is seen as a significant boost to healthcare infrastructure in Uttara Kannada, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the region’s residents.