Dr. TMA Pai established the Kasturba Medical College in Manipal on June 30, 1953. Once the university came into existence, there was a need for a teaching hospital that could provide clinical facilities for students. In 1960, that long felt need was fulfilled when the Medical Relief Society of South Kanara joined the hands of the university in setting up a hospital in Manipal. Kasturba Hospital began in May 1961 with 150 beds. Today, Kasturba Hospital has 2032 beds.
The hospital is fully equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic departments to facilitate the treatment of a wide range of medical and surgical diseases. It is well equipped for advanced and sophisticated surgeries such as coronary bypass and open heart surgery as well as kidney transplantation. The 280-bed cancer research hospital is located next to the main hospital.
The hospital caters to large numbers of people from Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, etc. In addition to providing medical care in the normal course, the hospital also offers special health care plans like Medicare and the Manipal Health Plan. Kasturba Hospital has been providing yeoman service to the people for nearly five decades in the fields of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.
Kasturba Hospital is the first Medical Hospital in Karnataka to obtain the prestigious National Board of Hospital Accreditation (NABH). It is ISO 9001: 2000 certified and ISO 14001-2004, showing the strong commitment to continuously improve the quality of patient care. The plans offered by Manipal Group like Manipal Hrudaya Suraksha and the subsidized treatment through the Manipal Foundation especially care for patients in need. The pharmacy has a generic form that provides quality and affordable drugs. She is planning a great expansion plan with an exclusive Traumatology and Emergency Center and an Integrated Mother and Child Center for comprehensive care of Women, children and infants with all the contemporary and sophisticated facilities.