Mangaluru: Like-minded organisations have launched a signature campaign seeking branches of Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Puttur. The campaign aims to collect one lakh signatures by year-end, activist Dinesh Kamath of Puttur Govt Medical College Action Committee said. About 20,000 signatures have been collected. A presentation on the need for the facilities was made on Monday.The state cabinet had in-principle granted approval for Kidwai and Sri Jayadeva branches on 10 acres at Vamanjoor in Mangaluru.Committee president MB Vishwanatha Rai said the notification establishing a govt medical college in Puttur marked the first significant victory of its campaign and the second phase of its public health movement. He said the college should remain entirely under govt ownership and management, without a public-private partnership, and receive adequate infrastructure and staff.The committee wants regional units of Nimhans, Jayadeva and Kidwai on the medical college campus to provide coordinated multi-speciality treatment. It has also sought priority inspection and allocation of more than 120 acres identified at Sediyapu for future medical and research institutions. Rai said institutions such as ICMR and FSL would support job creation, health tourism and local economic development. The committee plans to approach legislators, officials and civil society representatives and visit every village.Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai supported the demands and said land could be reserved in Puttur for the institutes. Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai said that he also has extended support to the demands of the action committee. “The State Cabinet has already sanctioned branches of Kidwai and Sri Jayadeva institutes for Dakshina Kannada. We are ready to reserve land in Puttur for the purpose,” he added.
