Bengaluru: All primary health centres (PHCs) in the state will get tele medicine facility within six months, according to Health and Family Welfare Minister K R Ramesh Kumar.

Speaking at the launch of Primary Health Centre Management Information System at Vidhana Soudha, Minister Ramesh Kumar said the new initiative would facilitate patients at the PHCs to avail the advice and guidance of senior and experienced doctors. “The government will provide an ambulance for every 15 km distance in rural areas and an Intensive Care Unit at every taluk hospital in the state,’’ Minister Ramesh Kumar said.

The minister said the each ambulance vehicle would have one trained nurse apart from other technicians and equipment. “The ICUs at all taluk hospitals will have all facilities, especially for those asthma patients. Instead of blaming private hospitals for collecting exorbitant fees, it is better to provide facilities for those who could not go to private hospitals for treatment. We have to prove that government hospitals too can provide good and quality treatment for the patients’’ the minister said.

Advising the doctors, nurses and other technicians to work hard to provide better and quality treatment at Government hospitals, the minister said the health department officials have to avail funds from corporate companies under the CSR scheme to ensure medical facilities for the patients. “There are more than 2,300 primary health centres in the state. Samsung Company has provided Samsung Tab IRIS (tablets) free of cost to 1,000 primary health centres. I want the Samsung Company to supply the Sansung Tab IRIS to the remaining primary health centres. The government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung Research & Development Institute, Benagaluru,’’ he said.