Karnataka medical officer offers lunch at Rs 10 to CHC visitors

Karnataka: For the past 19 months, Dr K.L. Venugopal, an administrative medical officer has been offering lunch at a cost of only Rs 10 per plate to the patients as well as anyone who visits the Holalur Community Health Centre (CHC) in Shivamogga taluk. 

Walking in the footsteps of his father, a former legislator and noted socialist Konandur Lingappa who taught him to always look after the poor section of the society has led him to this day where people from many sectors have been praising him for his initiative.

Dr Venugopal has been offering the service since November 2020 with the help and support of his staff when patients could not have their lunch due to the COVID-19 lockdown. With their own funds, Dr Venugopal and his team have been continuing the initiative.

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The need to help people from the rural areas came after he got into the Health and Family Welfare Department. His father was known for his struggle for landless agriculture workers and was elected to the Legislative Assembly by spending money contributed by his voters.

In a tweet, Minister for Health and Family Welfare K. Sudhakar also thanked Dr. Venugopal for the initiative.

The CHC has total staff strength of 32, including five medical officers. Dr. Venugopal said, "As lockdown was in effect, the visitors had no facility to have lunch. We decided to start this service. Our support staff also joined hands. Initially, I thought of offering lunch free of charge. But later we thought it would be better to collect minimal charge and fixed ₹10 per plate of rice, sambar, and pickle."

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Overwhelmed by the responses he said "I really don't know if our job deserves so much appreciation. We are offering lunch to people who visit us. In a month, we need to spend about ₹15,000 and we are managing that. Even in villages, people have to spend up to ₹50 for lunch. I wish we had a system to fulfil the requirement of those who cannot afford it." TH report.