Healthcare solutions provider e-Kshema has set up 18 health kiosks across south Bangalore to provide medical check-ups, including tests, for just Rs.120.

"At any of our 18 health kiosks, a person can have a general check–up of body temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood test for differential count (DC) and urine test for Rs.80. Tests for malaria or tuberculosis disease will cost another Rs.40," K2 Technology Solutions chief executive Anant Koppar said Sunday.

The clinics have been set up in civic hospitals of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) across eight assembly segments of the Bangalore South parliamentary constituency, represented by Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Ananth Kumar.

"The kiosks are open to public, especially the urban poor for early check-up of their health, including disease identification at affordable cost and to improve the healthcare delivery system in the city," Ananth Kumar said at one of the clinics, which was opened for service earlier in the day.

The kiosks are also equipped to provide diagnosis, patient care and monitor patients remotely using innovative applications and cost-effective technologies. "The state government should open such a kiosk in each of the 2,840 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) across the state to extend the benefit to about 40 percent of the state's population, which come under the below poverty line (BPL) category," Ananth Kumar said on the occasion.

The clinics unify diagnostic hardware like microscope and vital signs monitor with diagnostic software, comprising modules for electronic health records, pathology and radiology. The software identifies and transmits the vital parameters to a remote doctor through broadband or wireless connectivity.

Lauding Koppar's initiative, state Health Minister Aravind Limbavali said the state government would evaluate the benefits of e-Kshema kiosks to equip all state-run hospitals and PHCs with them.

"Such affordable kiosks are beneficial to the urban poor and BPL families as the healthcare delivery system has been crippled due to non-availability of enough doctors in government hospitals," Limbavali said.

About 3,800 government doctors have Saturday submitted their resignations to district health officers concerned across the state to pressurise the state government meet their demands, including merger of incentives with basic pay.

According to the Karnataka Government Medical Officers' Association president H.N. Ravindra, there is a shortage of about 1,000 doctors, including 770 specialists in the state-run hospitals across the state.