Karnataka Budget Offered a Significant Boost to Health & Lifesciences Start-ups with Focus on Infrastructure & Innovation

The Karnataka government has offered a boost to health and lifescience firms, with an emphasis on infrastructure and innovation. With a grant of Rs. 300 crore and an allocation of Rs. 14,950,496 crore for healthcare, the state has asked for the reintroduction of the Yashashwini plan to give medical facilities to rural farmers. The Karnataka chief minister stated during the budget presentation that the state's goal is to give healthcare to all. There is a need to expand health infrastructure in this competition. Start-ups are encouraged in the delivery of healthcare through technology.

The state has the biggest number of startups in the country, with 15,000 registered. The government provided Rs. 10 crore to the Health-Tech and Med-Tech sectors, as well as Rs. 5 crore to establish a Bio-Bank. The budget focuses on the creation of 438 'Namma Clinics' in all wards of Bengaluru and in the state's major cities for noncommunicable disease testing. It will create 300 Women Health Centres to provide women's health guidance. There will also be free eye exams, surgery, and spectacles for low-income seniors. In the area of chronic care, it will establish a regional cardiology centre of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in Hubballi at a cost of Rs. 250 crore. In addition to a Regional Cancer Centre of Kidwai in Belagavi at a cost of Rs. 50 crore.

Further, it will also set up Infusion Centres in 10 select institutes of medical sciences to provide chemo therapy for cancer patients. In order to improve access to healthcare, seven taluk hospitals will be upgraded to 100-bed capacity, and a Trauma Care Centre will be established in Tumakuru. The existing Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology will map hospitals for cardiac treatment in taluks. Conversion of government hospitals with more than 200 bed capacity to teaching hospitals with National Medical Council clearance to facilitate the start of postgraduate medical science at the district level. The launch of mobile clinics under the "Mukhya Mantri Arogya Vahini" scheme in the districts of Bidar, Chamarajanagara, Haveri, and Chikkamagalur will enable preventive healthcare and early detection.