Karwar: The state government has responded positively to a social media campaign demanding a multi-speciality hospital in Uttara Kannada district.

Uttara Kannada, which is one of the biggest districts in the state, has no good hospitals. In the absence of trauma care centre and multi-speciality hospital, people are forced to depend on other cities like Mangaluru, Manipal, Goa and Hubballi during emergencies.

Therefore, demanding a hospital, a social media campaign was launched and finally, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda have responded positively to it.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Shivanand S Patil tweeted: “The need for a trauma centre in Uttara Kannada has come to my attention. We will fast-track both the proposals for Karwar and Kumta centres, and ensure that they are implemented with urgency.”

Many activists feel Kumta is the ideal place to set up a multi-speciality hospital as the place is close to most of the towns and villages in the district.

“There are railway and bus stations in the heart of the city and it is convenient for people who visit the city. People from Karwar, Bhatkal, Sirsi and Siddapur can avail medical facility within 60 km if a hospital is set up in Kumta,” said an activist.

However, two big political faces -- MP and former union minister Anantkumar Hegde and District Minister R V Deshpande -- have not spoken about the demand of the district.

Deshpande has been an MLA from the district for the past 3-4 decades and Hegde is the MP for more than two decades. Both the leaders have kept mum and people are not happy with their silence on this issue.

“Both the senior politicians from Uttara Kannada district are now mum on the issue. They have failed to bring development and we don’t even have a big hospital here to ensure timely treatment to needy people. We are taking people to other districts during emergency,” rued an activist.