The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) has decided to establish molecular biology laboratories at all 17 government-run medical colleges in Karnataka.

At a press conference on Friday, S. Sachidananda, V-C, said that they would establish the labs as part of the university’s silver jubilee celebrations. “When COVID-19 cases were reported initially, there was a dire shortage of labs for testing. To avoid such a situation, we will set up labs at all government medical colleges,” he said.

It has also decided to upgrade three Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at Chickballapur into model PHCs. However, this has drawn flak from a section of syndicate members. They alleged that the upgrade was being done to appease Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar who was elected from Chickballapur Assembly constituency.

Many members pointed out that several other proposals were received by universities in the past to upgrade PHCs in other Assembly constituencies, which were rejected. “The university is developing infrastructure with money collected from students. The funds should instead be used to implement student welfare schemes,” an official of the university said on condition of anonymity.

Dr. Sachidananda acknowledged that all the PHCs were from Dr. Sudhakar’s Assembly constituency but termed this a ‘mere coincidence’.