Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader interacts with patients at Udupi District Hospital in Udupi on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: UMESH S. SHETTIGAR
Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader on Sunday asked the heads of Udupi District Government Hospital, Udupi Mother and Child Hospital and taluk hospitals to hold press conferences at regular intervals to publicise the health services, successful surgeries and treatment provided at their hospitals.During his interaction with personnel from government healthcare centres after visiting Udupi District Government Hospital and Udupi Mother and Child Hospital, Mr. Khader asked the hospital heads to hold press conferences twice a month to highlight the health services, successful surgeries and treatment available at their respective hospitals. He asked the taluk hospital heads to hold press conferences once a month. Such regular public disclosures would raise confidence in government hospital services and encourage people to visit the hospitals for quality treatment at affordable cost, he said.Mr. Khader was told that the Mother and Child Hospital conducted more than 150 deliveries every month. Stressing the need to further improve maternity services at the Mother and Child Hospital and taluk hospitals, Mr. Khader said the number of deliveries at Mangaluru’s Government Lady Goschen Hospital in a month was higher than the total number of deliveries at all private hospitals in Mangaluru. More women should avail themselves of services at the Udupi Mother and Child Hospital and taluk hospitals, he said.At the Udupi District Government Hospital, more than 800 outpatients visit every day, while on Mondays the number goes up to over 900. Mr. Khader said he received good feedback from patients during his rounds of the district hospital and Mother and Child Hospital on the operations and treatment provided there. He asked doctors and specialists to further improve their healthcare services.The Minister also spoke to the heads of various health programmes and advised them to work more effectively to ensure that the benefits of the schemes reached the needy.Mr. Khader said a special meeting would be held in Bengaluru on July 16 regarding the repair of the old building of the Mother and Child Hospital and the health facilities at the hospital’s new building.During the visit, the Minister was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner T.K. Swaroopa, District Surgeon H. Ashok and District Health and Family Welfare Officer Basavaraj Hubballi. Published - July 12, 2026 08:35 pm IST
