Puttur: Signature campaign seeks Jayadeva, Kidwai and NIMHANS centres; 1 lakh signatures targeted

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 16, 2026: A signature campaign seeking the establishment of regional centres of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Puttur has been launched by like-minded organisations, with a target of collecting one lakh signatures.

Dinesh Kamath of the Puttur Government Medical College Horata Samithi said 20,000 signatures had already been collected. The campaign aims to reach the target of one lakh signatures by the end of this year.

As part of the initiative, a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the need for specialised medical facilities in Puttur was held on Monday.

Action committee president M.B. Vishwanatha Rai said the government’s notification to establish a government medical college in Puttur marked a significant milestone in the committee’s campaign. The committee has now launched the second phase of its public health movement, focusing on improving access to specialised healthcare in the region.

He stressed that the proposed medical college must remain entirely under government ownership and management, ruling out the public-private partnership (PPP) model. He also called for adequate infrastructure, equipment and staff to ensure quality medical education and patient care.

The committee has urged the government to establish regional centres of Jayadeva, Kidwai and NIMHANS within the medical college campus to facilitate access to specialised and multispecialty treatment.

Vishwanatha Rai further said that more than 120 acres of land identified at Sediyapu should be inspected on priority and appropriately allocated for medical and research institutions.

The committee has also called for opportunities to establish institutions affiliated with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) in the region.

As part of its campaign, the committee plans to meet legislators, government officials and civil society representatives and visit villages across the region to mobilise public support.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai expressed support for the committee’s demands. He said the State Cabinet had already approved branches of Kidwai and Sri Jayadeva institutes for Dakshina Kannada and added that land could be earmarked in Puttur for the proposed facilities.