Karnataka Health Facilities Face Crisis: Funding, Staffing Gaps Exposed

A recent assessment of Karnataka's public health facilities has highlighted significant challenges, recommending increased budgetary allocation and infrastructure expansion in underserved districts. The report, compiled by Health for All Forum - Karnataka, reviews sub-centres, primary health centres, and general hospitals.

The assessment urges the state government to raise health expenditure to 10% of the total budget and fill all sanctioned posts permanently, reducing reliance on contract workers. This aligns with the Karnataka State Integrated Health Policy's vision for greater public spending and equitable healthcare access.

Disease burdens are increasing, with hypertension cases in Yadgir district more than doubling between 2021-22 and 2024-25, and diabetes cases rising by over 50%. The report also points to infrastructure gaps, with only 53.4% of reviewed sub-centres operating in dedicated buildings.

Vacancies are a major concern across all levels of public health facilities. In 2024-25, over 45% of posts were vacant in general hospitals and 42.6% in community health centres. More than half of the primary health centres studied lacked a medical officer, and over 41% were without nursing staff.