All deficiencies at BIMS rectified, Lokayukta told

Belagavi: Lokayukta Justice BS. Patil, who conducted a surprise inspection of the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) last year, had uncovered several deficiencies in infrastructure and administration, following which a suo motu case was registered under Section 7(1)(b) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act.Senior officials, including the principal secretary (medical education), the director of medical education, and the director and medical superintendent of BIMS, along with other concerned officers, were named as respondents. They were issued notices and directed to appear in person before the Lokayukta.During hearings held on various dates, the Lokayukta closely monitored compliance with the directions issued. Subsequently, authorities submitted detailed compliance reports supported by photographic evidence, stating that all deficiencies identified during the inspection had been rectified.Major structural issues, including seepage on upper floors and water leakage through walls in several sections of the hospital, were addressed through pipe replacements and civil repair works. Structural defects in the Mother and Child Health (MCH) block were rectified by installing a truss structure with galvanised sheet roofing, while outdated GI pipelines were replaced with PVC pipelines.Several administrative and service-related improvements were also implemented. The hospital pharmacy sub-store was streamlined from September 15, 2025, and an e-pharmacy system was introduced to ensure transparent, patient-specific digital distribution of medicines. Officials reported that no expired or near-expiry medicines were found in stock, indicating improved inventory management.In a humanitarian intervention, two abandoned children under hospital care were handed over to the women and child development department and subsequently admitted to a residential care institution in Bailhongal, with all required documentation submitted to the Lokayukta.The institute also reported that it had conducted 17 health camps under the ‘Arogya Nandana Shibira' initiative during 2024 and 2025. Issues related to the construction of the super speciality hospital were identified and rectified. Biomedical waste management systems were found to be functional, and procurement of new medical equipment is currently underway.Taking note of the corrective measures, the Lokayukta directed officials to ensure continued maintenance of infrastructure, hygiene, and quality healthcare services. Strict instructions were issued to prevent the recurrence of such lapses in future.