Early diagnosis and timely intervention at taluk hospitals have helped save the lives of nearly 16,000 patients with serious cardiac complications under the Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti scheme of the government of Karnataka.
According to the Health Department, 11,78,504 people have been screened under the programme since its launch in March 2023. During this period, doctors identified 18,804 cases of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), a severe type of heart attack that requires urgent medical attention. Of these, 15,908 patients — accounting for 84.6% of the cases — were successfully treated.
The State Government named Karnataka’s STEMI management project at the taluk level after actor Puneeth Rajkumar in 2023. The initiative was launched to minimise delays in diagnosing and treating heart attack patients in rural areas, and is being implemented through a hub-and-spoke model.
Officials said Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled technology has played a key role in facilitating rapid diagnosis. Patients are categorised based on the severity of their condition, enabling doctors to quickly identify critical cases and initiate treatment. As part of the programme, 1,560 patients have received the costly Tenecteplase injection free of charge since May 2024.
Raghunandan, State Deputy Director (Non-Communicable Diseases), said that 12,26,816 electrocardiograms (ECGs) had been conducted since the scheme’s inception. “Of these, 18,804 STEMI cases were identified. A total of 15,908 patients survived after they received treatment through thrombolysis, angioplasty, stenting, and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) procedures,” he said.
At present, 86 district and taluk hospitals function as ‘spoke’ centres, while 10 ‘hubs’ have been established across 16 super-speciality hospitals, including the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. The State Government had announced the expansion of the scheme to all taluk hospitals in September 2025, and work towards this is currently underway, Dr. Raghunandan said.
Jayadeva institute Director B. Dinesh said individuals experiencing chest pain could visit any spoke centre and undergo an ECG immediately. “Using AI-assisted technology, doctors can determine within four to five minutes whether a patient is in a critical condition,” he said.
With cardiovascular diseases emerging as a major public health challenge and heart attack cases steadily rising across Karnataka, officials said the Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyothi scheme has become a crucial intervention in reducing cardiac mortality, and ensuring timely access to specialised treatment.
Dr. Dinesh said that the State Government has approved the establishment of Jayadeva satellite centres at the existing multi-speciality referral centre run by GBA at Govindarajanagar, and at Charaka Super-speciality Hospital affiliated with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Institute in Shivajinagar.
Published - June 08, 2026 11:47 am IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
