How Bhatkal government hospital transformed

Efforts of a committed community and a determined doctor radically improved a medical facility in Bhatkal, writes Manjushree G N

Credit: Special Arrangement

Credit: Special Arrangement

Credit: Special Arrangement

There are some examples that illustrate how concerted efforts can transform communities' access to health. This is certainly true in the case of the work of Dr Savitha Kamath, the Bhatkal taluk government hospital's administrative head.

Bhatkal government hospital in Uttara Kannada district was once plagued with issues. Poor infrastructure, old buildings, an unsanitary environment and a lack of healthcare workers affected the quality of services.

According to Shabana Damudi, a resident of Bhatkal, most patients would have to travel an hour or two to hospitals in Kundapura or Manipal. "Dr Savitha Kamath's efforts as a good Samaritan have changed this," she says.

Through consistent initiatives and active follow-up, Dr Savitha coordinated renovations and funding, building up the hospital's infrastructure. Rukmuddhin Nissar Ahmed, a social worker, says, "I have seen the hospital transform since Dr Savitha took over in 2009. It is incredible." He has worked with the hospital for 33 years.

Improvements in staffing have also greatly helped the quality of services. "Specialists in all fields are now available. This was not the case before," says Lakshmi Naik, a daily wage worker from the region.

A more disciplined way of working was implemented, notes Bhaskar Naik, Kaikini gram panchayat member. The hospital now has an oxygen plant and a well-equipped mortuary. "Everything has been renovated, from the roof to the casualty ward," he adds.

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Narendra Bhatkal, a trustee of Sevavahini Trust that helps the needy during medical emergencies, says, "Normally, doctors just do their jobs, but the team went above and beyond to help people." He adds that the improvement occurred in stages and that, most importantly, corruption was addressed.

Step-by-step progress

A native of the area and an anesthesiologist, Dr Savitha started working at the hospital in the year 2000. She describes the government hospital as her first home, as she spends much of her time here.

“It was a very difficult journey in the beginning," she says, describing her mission of developing the government hospital. The only way she was able to acquire more than Rs 3 crore in voluntary donations was through consistent engagement and campaigning.

One of Dr Savitha's first recollections of the hospital is attending to patients while having to hold an umbrella in her assigned cabin, due to a leaky roof.

When she took over administrative duties in 2009, she asked her superiors to grant her full power for a year. They agreed, on the condition that she would be retained only if she proved herself. She first approached Infosys. Rs 20 lakh was donated, and the roof of the outpatient department was fixed.

There was no turning back now. Vacant positions were filled.

The dialysis block saw the second large voluntary donation. The son of a dialysis patient erected a new block for Rs 45 lakh. Another Rs 25 lakh was given by another donor to fix the ward roofs. Someone volunteered to paint the structure. Another helped construct an immunisation block.

Gardening on the hospital premises has become a source of revenue as well. Bhatkal mallige, a popular variety of jasmine, is grown on the grounds and sold. The hospital earns around Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per month from selling flowers.

What about hygiene? Dr Savitha has organised a volunteer brigade that cleans up the hospital every Sunday. She leads the team.

Savitha emphasises that her main goal was to battle corruption.

She frequently arranges community gatherings to discuss problems, giving the people a sense of belonging.

The hospital is expanding and the demands are increasing. Every day, around six to seven major surgeries are performed at the hospital now. More than 1,000 outpatients arrive at the hospital each day.

Dr Ramesh Rao, Uttar Kannada district vector-borne disease control officer, says “Patients travel from all across the district. Savitha’s tireless efforts have led the hospital to this point.”

Dr Sathish B, who works at the hospital, says, “Our hospital now provides a diverse range of services. When compared to other hospitals in the district, we receive a lot of trauma cases (heart and head injuries). We require a 250-bed trauma centre as well as a blood bank. Dr Savitha is working on it.”