In a strong push to improve healthcare services, the Karnataka Health Department has directed all government hospitals across the state to meet the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) within the next three months.

An official order issued by the state government on July 8 warns that hospitals failing to meet the deadline (3 months) will be disqualified from receiving benefits under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (AB-ARK) scheme – a state-supported healthcare programme for poor and middle-income families.

If the standards are not implemented even after six months, the representatives of the concerned healthcare organisations will get a remark in their annual performance reports, which could result in their transfers.

If no progress is made within nine months, the annual salary increment of all heads and medical/paramedical officers/staff working in such health institutions will be withheld. In case of no progress, the staff will be held accountable for poor quality care or treatment, reports TNIE.