Bhoomi Pooja program for various development works at Vijayanagar District Hospital was conducted by Shri Dinesh Gundurao, Karnataka’s Minister of Health and Family Welfare. During the event, the minister also reviewed the progress of the 400-bed hospital construction and initiated significant projects in the public health sector. MLA H.R. Gaviappa expressed optimism that these initiatives will play a crucial role in improving healthcare in Vijayanagar district. The event saw the presence of Dr. N.T. Srinivasa, District Collector, Hospet Urban Development Authority President Sri H.N. Mohammad Imam, and other key district officials.
In a related initiative, a petition was submitted to Shri Dinesh Gundurao by the Vijayanagar Civic Forum, urging the central government to establish an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Hospet, the district center. Prof. Umameshwar, convener of the AIIMS establishment movement committee, highlighted that AIIMS is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, providing medical education, research, and free treatment at international standards. Despite Karnataka being second in GST revenue, it lacks an AIIMS, which is a significant concern. The establishment of AIIMS would provide excellent medical facilities not only to Vijayanagar district but also to the entire northern Karnataka region.
The president of the Vijayanagar Civic Forum, V. Yamunesh, stated that the central government has established criteria for selecting the site for hospitals based on the AIIMS Act of November 15, 1956. Emphasizing the need for prioritizing the establishment of AIIMS in the under-resourced district, he noted the geographic centrality, high population density, and accessibility via road, rail, and air. With available land and necessary criteria met, he urged the central government to recommend the establishment of AIIMS in Hospet, a call echoed by MLA H. R. Gaviappa. Other leaders, including Dr. Lakshman Karibheemanavar, Tippeswamy, Nazir Sab, Mallayya, M. E. Rishravaswami, Ramali, and Shankarp, were also present at the event.