Karnataka Government has disbursed funds to the tune of Rs 86 lakh to the Directorate of Indian System of Medicine & Homeopathy for 2004-'05 as against last year's grant of Rs 50 lakh. The Rs 86 lakh-fund has come in response to the directorate's request for Rs 100 lakh in mid-2004.

Out of Rs 86 lakh, Rs 66 lakh is set aside for the construction of facilities and Rs 20 lakh has been reserved for purchase of drugs. The Directorate plans to construct a new kitchen block for the Sree Jayachamaraja Indian Institute of Medicine Hospital in Bangalore. The first floor of the kitchen complex will have a drugs laboratory. Another construction on the anvil is a new building for the Indian System of Medicine hospital in Shimoga, informed Dr. BS Nataraj, director, directorate of Indian System of Medicine & Homeopathy.

The directorate has also issued instructions that drugs for the ISM government hospitals will be bought from only Schedule T compliant units in the state. Further, the Directorate has also insisted that drug purchase would be made only from primary manufacturers and not from loan licensees. It has also been extremely stringent in the approval procedures for granting drug production licenses.

Currently, Karnataka has 103 hospitals for the Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy and 639 dispensaries. Last month, the directorate has sent in a proposal of Rs 40 crore to the Central Government for setting up Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy wings in the district hospitals of Kolar, Gulbarga and Belgaum. By the end of 2004,these dedicated departments are expected to commence services, informed, Dr. Nataraj.

The remaining government hospitals in the state will have exclusive ISM &H departments in a phased manner. Also on the 2004-'05 agenda, there are 50 new dispensaries in the Indian System of Medicine where 30 dispensaries will offer Ayurveda treatment and drugs. Besides, the directorate would also set up 10 unani and 10 homeopathy dispensaries in different parts of the state.